Anonymization. Process by which data are processed in such a way that it is not possible to connect them to a person's identity or personal data. Despite these processes, it is possible to perform technical and scientific analysis on this data set. For compliance with anonymization standards, the data must be stripped of sufficient elements so that the data subject can no longer be identified, and therefore this data must be processed so that it is not possible to identify an individual using all reasonable means for use by any other person. 

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Authentication. Authentication is a process that confirms a person's identity in the digital world. For this, the user is linked to one or more variables such as passwords, tokens, identification cards, fingerprints or biometric characteristics. These factors are classified into three types: known, object and biometric. Some systems also require specific actions for more secure authentication.

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Authorization. Consists of the security process to determine which actions or services can be performed according to the identity of the users.

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Biometrics. Biometrics is the method of verifying a person's identity through unique measurements of biological or behavioral characteristics. It is one of the most effective ways to confirm a person's identity, since biometric data is unique to each individual. Biometrics comes from two Greek words meaning "measure of life".

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Behavioral biometrics. This is biometrics based on a person's own actions or behaviors. This includes typing patterns (formerly known as keystroke dynamics), tone of voice, use of social networks, heartbeat intensity and even gait.

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Cybercrime. It is any crime that involves computing devices and networks for carrying out illegal activities. More in detail, it is usually used to talk about those activities directed against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer systems and networks, as well as the data stored in them.

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Confidentiality. It is the protection of information and the guarantee that stored and transmitted data will not be disclosed to unauthorized third parties. In the digital era, confidentiality is strengthened through the use of cryptography to ensure data privacy.

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Deduplication. Mechanisms used to detect duplicate identities and ensure the uniqueness of individuals within a system or organization. The tools used in these processes generally include biometric recognition, biographic data and the use of credentials. 

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Availability. This is the guarantee that a company's IT infrastructure has an adequate capacity for recovery and protection against system failures, natural disasters or malicious attacks. It is the ability to access and use resources, whether a computer network, a system, an application or data, allowing its use by authorized persons.

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Face Match. Facial recognition or face matching system by which a user uses their biometric characteristics (their face) to authenticate their identity. It is one of the most widely used systems thanks to the popularization of smartphones and is often associated with the use of mobile applications (apps) and web platforms as a mechanism to keep accounts or transactions safe and secure.

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Authorized source. A repository, system or database with information about an individual's attributes and is considered to be the primary or most reliable source for this information. When two or more identification systems present a conflict in their data, the authoritative source is used as the most secure source of information in this regard.

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Identity. The set of traits of an individual, or of a group, that characterize them in relation to others. In security it is used to talk about individuals and the attributes that make them unique. These variables include physical characteristics, personal history, beliefs, cultural, national, and gender factors, among other variables.

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Identification. The process of determining or recognizing the identity of someone or something. In the physical world, it is done through government-issued identity documents. In the digital world, identification is a key process for confirming a user's identity online. This process includes registering attributes and issuing credentials to facilitate the subsequent authentication process.

 

Biometric Identification. It is the process of determining the identity of a person through the use of biometric data such as face shape, fingerprint or walking pattern, among other possibilities.  This information is then compared with a database to verify the identity of the user. Despite the use of digital tools for the capture, registration and comparison of data, it must be taken into account that a biometric match is never exact and therefore there will never be a 100% match between the biometric template and the user's data. As a consequence, margins of acceptance of matching patterns must be established, which obey a category called biometric threshold. 

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Integrity. This refers to the status and accuracy of the data involved in a process. In other words, integrity requires that the data being received must be exactly the same as the data being sent. 

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Performance metrics. These are measurement systems used to determine the accuracy of authentication processes.  In biometrics they stand out:

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• False acceptance rate (FAR): the false acceptance rate or FAR is sometimes referred to as false negative rate or FN. As its name indicates, it is related to users who are not enrolled and who, in spite of them, are erroneously admitted into the systems.

 

• False Rejection Rate (FRR): False Rejection Rate or FRR is sometimes referred to as False Positive Rate or FP. It is the opposite of the FAR and occurs when the system denies access to an authorized user.

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Biometric recognition. A procedure, through the use of technological devices, of confirming the identity of individuals by comparing biological and behavioral attributes.

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Facial recognition. A way of verifying a user's identity by comparing facial characteristics with a database stored in a digital format. This technology has become popular due to its ease of use and its registration process that includes the measurements of the different parts of the face. The recorded data is optimized and protected by algorithms to ensure the security of the information.

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Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is the combination of people, policies, processes and technologies employed by an enterprise to protect its digital assets. There are several classifications ranging from Internet of Things(IoT) security, to information security, among other classifications. Some of the most common threats are ransomware, malware, denial of service attacks and phishing. Its use has changed motives, and sides, from its beginnings from being a tool for extortion and industrial espionage, to the sabotage of entire nations in conflicts and a tool for cyberactivists.
 
Identification system. This is the set of practices, equipment, technological infrastructure, software, credentials and laws involved in the capture, management and use of personal identification data.

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Digital identification system. It is a technological platform used during the identity lifecycle of an organization. It ranges from data capture, validation, storage and transfer, to credential management, for subsequent verification and authorization of identities.

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Error rate. Biometrics has a margin of error that is controlled through the definition of a threshold, which balances the false acceptance rate and the false rejection rate. A low threshold will increase the acceptance rate and decrease the rejection rate, which can be risky, as there will be more chances for unauthorized persons to access protected systems. Therefore, increasing the rejection rate reduces the risk of unauthorized access.

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Verification. In the context of information technology and security, it is defined as the process of confirming the identity of a user or process by comparing their attributes or credentials to facilitate their authorization and access to services.

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Biometric verification. It is the verification process using biometric attributes for this purpose. For this purpose, a capture of these variables is performed and the information is compared with a digitally stored biometric template.

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Multifactor Verification. Single-factor authentication systems, such as passwords, are easy to administer but also more vulnerable. Biometric systems are more secure, but have the risk of being irreversible and linked to a person's anatomy. For best security and convenience, the current trend is to use two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) systems. Multi-factor authentication is an authentication system that requires the presence of several different factors to verify a person's identity. These factors include information known to the user (password), objects in the user's possession (token or an ID card) and biometric characteristics (fingerprints or facial recognition). The combination of these factors provides additional security against unauthorized access to protected information or resources.

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