While advances in biometrics has led to their increased use on most computing devices, recent progress in facial biometrics are currently inviting controversy. In this presentation, attendees will learn how the increased accuracy of facial recognition technologies have led to their becoming an important, but controversial, tool in security. The presentation will begin with a brief overview of authentication and a discussion of the most common biometrics used for that purpose. It will then explore where facial biometrics is increasingly being used – from border protection to expedited airline check-in. The presentation will then discuss some of the more controversial uses of the technology by other countries with an emphasis on China’s much-feared “Skynet”. While governments embrace facial recognition, privacy advocates are arguing that its rapid deployment hints at the beginnings of a surveillance state. As a result, the presentation will end by discussing this view.
Audience: Everyone because biometrics has become a universal authentication technology..
Dave Vargas is a senior security engineer and professor of cybersecurity at several local colleges and universities in the Washington, DC area. He has worked extensively in cybersecurity in both the public and private sectors and often shares his expertise at security conferences and professional meetings nationwide. Dave graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University, and successfully completed graduate work in Information Systems at The Johns Hopkins University. His current certifications include CEHv9, CISSP, CISM, and SSCP.