In the race to improve security infrastructures faster than hackers can invent methods to penetrate firewalls, it is important to ascertain a user's identity before permitting access to protected data. Given the pervasive use of passwords and personal identification number codes . . .
In the race to improve security infrastructures faster than hackers can invent methods to penetrate firewalls, it is important to ascertain a user's identity before permitting access to protected data. Given the pervasive use of passwords and personal identification number codes for user authentication across all aspects of our daily life, attackers have developed powerful password-cracking tools.

New technologies that aim to directly strengthen user authentication include the use of tokens and smart cards combined with digital certificates. The most compelling and intriguing authentication technologies involve biometrics matching - the measurement of physical and behavioral characteristics such as facial structures, voice patterns and fingerprints.

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