Page 161 - Cyber Defense eMagazine December 2022 Edition

Cyber Defense Magazine– PQC & Biometrics

Why biometric security is crucial in a post-quantum world

By Nils Gerhardt, Chief Technology Officer for Utimaco

Many are saying that passwords have now become obsolete – they can be stolen, ‘brute-forced’ or
guessed, and are too vulnerable to lay the foundations of our digital security as we shift towards a post-
quantum future. In fact, given that 70% of people reuse passwords, guessing is very easy. All
Cybercriminals need to do is to buy a list of email addresses and, after gaining access to a site’s
shadowed password file, crosscheck each password against the encrypted passwords. Once matched,
the password can be used on the site.

However, new hardware devices are making it possible to avoid using passwords for anything from
logging into websites to accessing restricted areas. Combining biometrics with smart design and the
latest authentication protocols, they could become part of everyday life for millions of people as we move
towards a new age of much stronger security and quantum computing.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – December 2022 Edition 161
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