Home // International Journal On Advances in Security, volume 10, numbers 3 and 4, 2017 // View article

Cancelable hand geometry-based biometric authentication system using steganography techniques

Authors:
Louis-Philip Shahim
Dirk Snyman
Tiny Du Toit
Hennie Kruger

Keywords: cancelable biometrics; information security; leap motion controller; multifactor authentication; steganography

Abstract:
Complex methods are often used in an attempt to rectify basic security aspects that should be prevalent in all authentication systems, but are lacking. Biometric information remains unique to each individual and it is for that reason that it should be protected, and yet many developers neglect the importance of securing biometrics effectively. This research presents a novel approach for authentication systems to protect biometric information using a combination of transformation techniques and steganography encryption methods. A leap motion controller captures user-specific biometric information. Once this information is retrieved, it is transformed or made “cancelable.” This ultimately prevents a third party from reconstructing the information to its original state. The concept of obfuscating biometric information seems inadequate without storing this information so that users may be authenticated. The shortcomings of storing this information become apparent should an attack occur on the database that holds the biometric information. One can breach a database and expose all the users’ personal information by simply gaining access to a username and password. To counter this threat, the use of image steganography to store user-biometric information in various pixels throughout an image is presented. By using cancelable biometrics combined with image steganography, biometric information can be safeguarded against reconstruction and possible identity theft prevented. The resulting framework presented in this paper shows promise to a novel cancelable biometrics approach using steganography.

Pages: 134 to 144

Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2017. Used with permission.

Publication date: December 31, 2017

Published in: journal

ISSN: 1942-2636