Biometrics; body measurements and calculations relating to human characteristics.Used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. Also used to identify individuals in groups that are under surveillance.

Distinctive, measurable characteristics used to label and describe individuals. Categorized as physiological characteristics, which are related to the shape of the body. More reliable in verifying identity than token and knowledge-based methods. The collection of biometric identifiers raises privacy concerns about the ultimate use of this information.

Biometric authentication is convenient, but privacy advocates fear that biometric security erodes personal privacy. The use of additional protections are important in biometric systems.