Anonymous Biometric Authentication via Irreversible Cryptographic Hashing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biometric data systems face challenges in ensuring the confidentiality and security of biometric data, particularly when using irreversible cryptographic algorithms, as they do not effectively utilize biometric data in combination with personal keys to authenticate individuals while minimizing the risk of data disclosure and discrimination.
Innovation Solution
A data processing system that employs an enrollment process combining biometric data and personal keys using irreversible cryptographic algorithms, generating variants to account for changes, and processing the combined data through additional irreversible algorithms to create undecipherable data for secure storage and authentication, ensuring confidentiality and minimizing storage of original biometric data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If irreversible cryptographic algorithms are used with biometric data, then data confidentiality is improved, but the ability to authenticate individuals while accounting for biometric changes is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the authentication process into two distinct phases: enrollment (where biometric data is processed and stored as cryptographic hash) and authentication (where live biometric data is compared against stored hashes). This segmentation allows irreversible cryptography to be applied while maintaining authentication capability through separate comparison logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-processing biometric data through irreversible cryptographic hashing during enrollment, storing only the hash values. This preliminary transformation enables later authentication comparisons without requiring access to original biometric data, thus maintaining confidentiality while enabling verification.
2Measurement precision
If biometric data is stored in original form, then authentication accuracy is improved, but privacy risks and discrimination potential are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential authentication information from biometric data by converting it into cryptographic hash values during enrollment. The original biometric data is discarded after hashing, storing only the extracted hash representation. This extraction maintains authentication capability while removing the harmful element of storing sensitive original data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system treats original biometric data as disposable by using it only temporarily during the enrollment process to generate cryptographic hashes. The original data is discarded after serving its purpose, and only the permanent, non-sensitive hash values are retained for future authentication, eliminating ongoing privacy risks.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If reversible cryptographic algorithms are used with biometric templates, then data confidentiality is improved during transit, but the ability to analyze and adjust parameters is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system inverts the traditional approach by using irreversible cryptographic hashing instead of reversible encryption. This inversion means data cannot be decrypted or analyzed after hashing, but it provides stronger confidentiality guarantees while parameter adjustment is achieved through the comparison of hash values against stored templates rather than through direct data analysis.
4Reliability
If biometric data is captured and stored, then authentication capability is improved, but the risk of data misuse and discrimination is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the potential harm of storing biometric data into a benefit by transforming it through irreversible cryptographic hashing. The hashing process eliminates the risk of data misuse and discrimination while preserving the authentication capability, as the hash values can still be used for verification without revealing any sensitive information about the original biometric data.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, program and system for processing data is disclosed. The method, program and system comprising the steps of: (a) receiving (e.g., during an enrollment process) a first biometric data and a first personal key, (b) processing the first biometric data and the first personal key through an irreversible cryptographic algorithm, sometimes after: (i) generating one or more variants from the first biometric data, (ii) processing the first personal key through a reversible cryptographic algorithm, and (iii) adding salt to the first biometric data or first personal key, (c) receiving (e.g., during an authentication process) a second biometric data and a second personal key, (d) processing the second biometric data and the second personal key through the irreversible cryptographic algorithm, (e) comparing the second processed data to the first processed data, and (f) generating a signal pertaining to the comparison of the second processed data to the first processed data, such as: (i) a confirmation reflecting authentication when the second processed data matches the first processed data (sometimes allowing access to a facility or system) or (ii) a denial reflecting no confirmation when the second processed data does not match the first processed data.