Question_1_Paper1_Dec_2010

Return to Paper 1 Questions  ** Area of Impact: Business and Employment ** **1. **At the restaurant they have a new bank terminal, to charge the client when paying with a credit or debit card. This new terminal comes with a magnetic stripe reader and a fingerprint reader. In order to use them, the client needs to slide the credit card and then pass his fingerprint. If both match the transaction is processed and the client signs the receipt.

//(a) //Define the term //magnetic stripe reader//. A magnetic stripe reader is an input device that is able to read the information from a magnetic stripe. Some examples are credit and debit cards.

//(b) //With reference to the process of authenticating a client through the use of a credit card and their fingerprint, identify **two** input and **two** output  devices required. - INPUT - - OUTPUT - Finger print reader Ticket printer Magnetic stripe reader Display

//(c)// Explain **one** benefit and **one** problem of using the terminal with the magnetic stripe reader and fingerprint scanner for authenticating a person. One benefit could be that the user's security is improved in certain way. For instance if the credit card is stolen from its owner it would be useless for the thief as the biometric devise would not allow him/her to purchase without the finger print. On the other hand one problem could be that both the magnetic stripe and the finger print could be damaged, for example if the finger tip is injured then the finger print reader would have trouble to identify it, this may also happen to the magnetic stripe reader if the magnetic stripe from the card is either damaged or dirty.

(d) Discuss the concerns that banks may have before deciding to use biometric technology by their terminals for authentication purposes.

One concern that may have emerged to the banks before approving using biometric devices, in this case a finger print reader, by their terminals for authentication is that standard finger print readers are really easy to cheat. This is because, as shown in the Mythbusters program, cheap or standars finger print readers ambe cheated with really easy techniques. For example, the copy of a finger print could be used to the cheat the device. Similarly, if the finger print is taken from, let's say a glass, this also can work to cheat the finger print reader. On the other hand, if more money were spent in the device it could be bought a temperature sensor, the previous issues could be prevented, becuase the temperature sensor would be able to determine if there is actually a hand being read or is something else.