Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR)

IAS Current Affairs

1 year ago

Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR)

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Government Policies & Interventions, Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; GS III: Cyber Security

Overview

Fingerprint spoofing
Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR)
Aadhaar Act, 2016

Why in News?

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has turned to artificial intelligence-based systems in an effort to reduce the cases of Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) fraud as more of them come to light.
This includes creating technologies for fingerprinting and facial recognition.

News in Brief

The UIDAI has implemented the Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR) modality, which is based on Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology, to prevent AePS frauds by the use of spoofed fingerprints during Aadhaar authentication.
This modality can check the liveness of a fingerprint to detect the use of cloned fingerprints during the authentication process.

Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS)

Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) is a government-backed payment platform in India that enables Aadhaar cardholders to conduct financial transactions through biometric authentication.
It was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to promote digital financial inclusion and provide secure and convenient banking services to individuals in remote and rural areas who may not have access to traditional banking facilities.
Key features of the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS):
- Biometric Authentication:
  - AePS leverages unique biometric information (fingerprint and iris) linked to an individual’s Aadhaar number to authenticate transactions.
  - This eliminates the need for traditional authentication methods like PINs or passwords, making it more user-friendly, especially for those who are not familiar with the technology.
- Interoperable Platform:
  - AePS allows customers of any bank to perform transactions on the AePS platform, regardless of their account-holding bank.
  - It enables transactions across multiple banks, making it a highly interoperable system.
- Services Offered:
- Using AePS, individuals can perform various financial transactions, including cash deposits, cash withdrawals, fund transfers, balance inquiries, and Aadhaar to Aadhaar fund transfers.
- Rural Financial Inclusion:
  - AePS has been particularly beneficial in rural areas where physical bank branches and ATMs may be scarce.
  - With AePS, customers can access banking services through authorized Aadhaar-based agents, often referred to as Business Correspondents (BCs), who act as intermediaries between the customers and banks.
- Secure Transactions:
  - The biometric authentication used in AePS adds an extra layer of security to transactions, reducing the risk of fraudulent activities and enhancing customer trust.
- No Additional Fees:
  - One of the advantages of AePS is that it allows customers to perform transactions without any additional charges.
  - This helps in promoting digital transactions and reducing the dependency on cash.
- Government Subsidies and Benefits:
- AePS is also used to disburse government subsidies and welfare benefits directly into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries, ensuring transparency and efficiency in subsidy distribution.

Fingerprint spoofing

Fingerprint spoofing, also known as biometric spoofing or fingerprint forgery, is a technique used to deceive fingerprint recognition systems by presenting fake or altered fingerprint patterns.
Biometric systems, including fingerprint scanners, rely on unique physical traits to identify and authenticate individuals.
Fingerprint recognition is widely used for various purposes, such as unlocking smartphones, accessing secure facilities, or verifying identities in some legal processes.
Fingerprint spoofing can take several forms, including:
- Artificial fingerprints:
  - Creating synthetic replicas of genuine fingerprints using materials like silicone, gelatin, or other substances.
  - These artificial prints can be used to fool fingerprint scanners.
- Latent fingerprints:
  - Lifting latent fingerprints left on a surface and creating fake fingerprints from them.
  - Latent prints are unintentionally left behind by individuals on various surfaces they touch.
- Gummy fingers:
  - Using gummy substances or molds to replicate the shape and texture of someone’s fingerprint.
- High-resolution prints:
  - Capturing high-quality images of someone’s fingerprints and using them to create fake fingerprints.
- 3D-printed fingerprints:
  - Utilizing 3D printing technology to produce accurate copies of fingerprints.

It’s essential to note that fingerprint spoofing is a form of biometric attack and is considered a security concern for systems that rely solely on fingerprint recognition for authentication.
To counter fingerprint spoofing, developers of biometric systems implement advanced algorithms and techniques to detect anomalies and differentiate between genuine and fake fingerprints.
These countermeasures include liveness detection, behavior analysis, and multi-factor authentication (combining fingerprint recognition with other biometrics or authentication methods).

Finger Minutiae Record – Finger Image Record (FMR-FIR)

The Finger Minutiae Record (FMR) and Finger Image Record (FIR) are two distinct components used in biometric systems, specifically in the context of fingerprint recognition and storage.

Finger Minutiae Record (FMR):

FMR is a compact representation of a fingerprint that focuses on capturing and encoding the essential features of the fingerprint, known as minutiae points.
Minutiae points are specific points on a fingerprint where ridges end, bifurcate, or intersect.
These minutiae points are unique to each fingerprint and are used as reference points for matching and verifying fingerprints.
In an FMR, the minutiae points are extracted from a fingerprint image and encoded into a standardized format, which typically includes the coordinates of the minutiae (e.g., x, y positions) and their orientations.
The FMR is much smaller in size compared to the raw fingerprint image, making it suitable for efficient storage and matching in large-scale biometric databases.

Finger Image Record (FIR):

FIR, on the other hand, refers to the full fingerprint image itself.
Unlike the FMR, the FIR retains all the detailed information present in the fingerprint image, including ridges, valleys, and other patterns.
FIRs are used for various purposes, such as forensic analysis, visual inspection, and detailed examination of fingerprint features.
FIRs are larger in size compared to FMRs due to the inclusion of the entire fingerprint image.
While FIRs offer more comprehensive information, they also require more storage space and computational resources for processing and matching.
Therefore, FIRs are usually used in scenarios where detailed fingerprint examination is required, while FMRs are used for biometric authentication and identification tasks, where efficiency and speed are crucial.
Both FMRs and FIRs play vital roles in fingerprint recognition systems.
FMRs are typically used in fingerprint databases and matching algorithms, while FIRs are used for more in-depth analysis and investigations.
These records enable biometric systems to accurately identify individuals and maintain secure and efficient biometric authentication processes.

Aadhaar Act, 2016

The Act came into effect on September 12, 2016.
The primary objective of the Aadhaar Act is to provide a 12-digit unique identification number known as Aadhaar to every resident of India.
Aadhaar Act has been a subject of debate and legal challenges regarding privacy concerns and potential misuse of personal information.
The Indian Supreme Court has also issued rulings to strike a balance between the benefits of Aadhaar and individual privacy rights.
As a result, certain restrictions and requirements have been imposed on the use of Aadhaar in specific contexts.
Key features of the Aadhaar Act, 2016:
- Unique Identification Number (Aadhaar): The Act aims to issue a unique identification number called Aadhaar to every resident of India, regardless of age, gender, or nationality.
  - The Aadhaar number is linked to an individual’s biometric and demographic information, making it a robust identification system.
- Voluntary Enrollment: While the Aadhaar Act encourages residents to obtain an Aadhaar number, enrollment is not mandatory.
  - However, various government schemes and services may require Aadhaar for verification and authentication purposes.
- Authentication and Verification: The Act allows various government and private entities to use Aadhaar for authentication and verification purposes.
  - Aadhaar authentication is used in a wide range of applications, including social welfare schemes, financial services, taxation, and more.
- Privacy and Security: The Act includes provisions to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ biometric and demographic information collected during the enrollment process.
  - It mandates that the data should only be used for specific purposes and prohibits sharing of Aadhaar information with unauthorized parties.
- Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI): The Aadhaar Act establishes the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) as the regulatory body responsible for the collection, storage, and management of Aadhaar data.
- Use of Aadhaar for Government Services: The Act facilitates the use of Aadhaar for efficient delivery of government services, subsidies, and benefits to eligible individuals.
  - It helps in reducing duplication, leakages, and fraudulent activities in welfare schemes.
- Legal Framework: The Act provides a legal framework for the usage of Aadhaar, including the penalties for unauthorized disclosure of Aadhaar information or the misuse of Aadhaar numbers.
- Opt-out and Correction Mechanism: The Act allows individuals to update or correct their Aadhaar information if there are any discrepancies.
  - It also provides a mechanism for individuals to opt out of the Aadhaar system if they wish to do so.

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