Unmasking the Enemy Through

Biometrics

Why Biometrics?

Bombing of Dining Facility in Mosul, Iraq, in Dec 2004

Murder of US Contractors in March 2004 led to 2 major operations for control of Fallujah, Iraq.

What are Biometrics? Something intrinsic to you (cannot be shared

without complicated surgery)

Something that is unique (more or less)

Something that cannot be repudiated (beware the dark side)

Something that can tie you to places and activities you wish to hide

Not 100% accurate nor a panacea

Something that is or should be an integral part of any identity management program

Biometric Modalities

Physical Modalities: fingerprint, face, iris, hand geometry, palm print, DNA, voice, retina, vein pattern

Behavioral: gait, hand writing/signature,keystroke

“Soft biometrics”: hair color, sex, age, ethnicity

What is the Best Modality?

Depends on the operational environment, available technology and the mission

Each modality is different in terms of universality, uniqueness, permanence, collectability, acceptability, etc. Many are highly effected by factors such as

ethnicity, employment, sex, etc

How are Biometrics Used? Identification: Who are you (or who

you are not)? Typically 1 to many Can also involve re-identification Uses: personnel vetting (access, hiring, training,

intel sources), targeting, screening, force protection, human terrain mapping, detention decision making)

Verification: Are you who you say you are? Typically 1 to 1 usually against an enrollment

sample Often matching against a template held by the

claimant (e.g. on a smart card) Uses: access control, population management,

detainee/prisoner management, resource management (aid, benefits, etc)

How are Biometrics Collected?

Overt/Covert

Cooperative/uncooperative

Face to face/stand off

Data Sharing

Forensics

What is a Match?

A probability that we have seen you before Score(S) compared to predetermined Threshold value

Accuracy determined by quality of database and algorithm(s)

Most commonly based upon two sets of the same modality (e.g. fingerprint to fingerprint)

Accuracy can be enhanced via fusion of matches from multiple sets of the same modality, multiple modalities, multiple algorithms

May require human intervention/analysis (“Yellow Resolves” and latent print matching)

Threshold Analysis

FAR and FRR vs. Threshold

Th

resh

old

sett

ing

FU

SIO

N

MATCH!

Prints: Inconclusive

Face: Non-IDENT

Iris: Inconclusive

Multi-modal biometric fusion (currently DoD ABIS only) results in:• More matches through the correlation of other modalities• More auto-identification, with lower number of manual

examinations required• Improved overall system accuracy and performance

The fusion algorithm combined

near matches to identify the

individual.

Multi-Modal Biometric Fusion

10

What Does a Match Mean? The same biometric is in our database

That’s it--may have value if done for verification purposes only

Analysis required to link the biometric to other information (e.g. intelligence, criminal, civil, financial, etc)

Not intrinsically good or bad—depends on mission “Good” Match: against an approved access

roster “Bad” Match: against a terrorist watchlist

How is a Match Made?

Subject is enrolled• Biometrics collected (may include biographic, soft biometrics and contextual data)• Biometrics stored

Subject is Encountered• At access point• In the field• At computer terminal• At a crime scene

Encounter collection compared to enrollment collection• On a card• On the collection system (stored enrollments and/or watchlist)• Against a centralized database• Against remote database(s)

Match results are reported• Match/No Match• Additional guidance may be provided

Operational Decision Made• Allow/deny access• Detain/Arrest• Provide/deny resources

The “Super Hit”Name: XXXDOB: XXXHT: 5’ 06”WT: 133Eyes: BROWNHair: BLACK

21 July 2011 – SOCOM Enrollment

Unsolved Latent Files

Latent Case: ######Priority Code: Green

• 120 IED Related Latents• 34 Distinct IED Cases Links• Two (2) DoD Enrollments• Two (2) Interagency Enrollments• One (1) DoD Detainee Enrollment

BackgroundMarch 2011: IED related evidence was receivedand processed by multiple agencies betweenMay 2010 and July 2011. The latent prints weresubmitted with no significant identifications andadded to the DoD ABIS Unsolved Latent File.

21 July 2011: The subject was encountered andenrolled by DoD elements due to suspicion ofterrorist activities resulting in multiple unsolvedlatent matches confirmed by BIMA’s BiometricExamination Services Team.

DoD Biometrics Successes Put thousands of biometrics kits into the hands of

military and contract personnel around the world

Built database of over 6 million uniqueidentities Developed most advanced large-scalemulti-modal/fusion matching system in the world

Enabled military operations (e.g. SOF and CIED), intelligence analysis, access control, detainee management

Shared data across the USG (i.e. the TRIAD) Successfully denied access to US by numerous foreign

nationals

Shared data with select foreign governments

DoD Biometrics Challenges Leadership awareness/support

Development of a holistic operational concept No DoD or USG integrated IdM vision Uncertain future of biometrics “force structure” Not part of the Joint or Services institutional

frameworks

“Triad” not fully implemented or automated

Policy gaps

Keeping pace with technological developments

What Don’t We Need?

What do We Need? Senior leader education

Rapid acquisition (GOTS/COTS) and institutionalization capability

Stand-off collection

Improved data management (quality, structure)

Improved data movement (compression, transmission, architecture)

Disassociation of biometrics from all data not required for matching

Link identity data across numerous databases and security domains

Improved security and privacy (technology and procedures)

A USG identity management leadership, strategy and roadmap