At many buildings and installations, biometric technology is a key component of the security system. Whether using fingerprints, iris recognition or another physical identifier, biometrics provide the most reliable means available of ensuring that a person is who he claims to be.
The U.S. government especially has embraced biometrics as a way to secure facilities. The 2008 “Biometrics in Government Post-9/11” report from the National Science and Technology Council reviewed biometric initiatives undertaken by the federal government and concluded that “federal agencies have advanced the scientific basis of the technology and its mutual co-existence with fundamental privacy principles… Continued attention over the ensuing years will reap even greater operational capability while continuing to ensure privacy protection.”