A biometric iris image taken in the laboratory. Photo Credit: UC3M

"Anti-spoofing" is a field of research to improve detection of attempts to defraud a biometric system -- a system used in banking and commercial applications that requires proof of identity from a unique biological signature such as a fingerprint or iris.

In a statement about their recent research on iris identification, UC3M's Grupo Universitario de Tecnologías de Identificación (GUTI) explain the kinds of fraud that only work in the movies:

Many of the attempts at fraud in biometric identification can be seen in films, although some of these definitely belong to world of science fiction. One that is actually feasible, according to the researchers, is the reproduction of fingerprints using silicone or other plastics, while cutting off a person's finger or hand in order to use his/her fingerprint or hand geometry for identification purposes would only work with systems that are in the lowest range. In contrast, using contact lenses with the iris painted on them is usually detectable, and removing someone's eyeball is useless, as the eye deteriorates very quickly, according to the scientists. In the case of facial recognition, using make-up to take on the appearance of another does not usually work, while the use of masks or plastic surgery is sometimes successful.

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