What is your take on authentication? With all the online banking security frenzy and the laws mandated by Federal regulators now requiring banks to strengthen security for Internet customers-- do you think the market is too crowded? I don't want to stop banking online, but I also want some sort of guarantee that my funds will be safe, without the fear of having to sacrifice a thumb.

Biometrics are not ADA compliant.

Having had my ATM card fraudulently reproduced once and used in Israel (where I've never been), I'm a little bit sceptical of online banking. But I don't actually do any banking online.

On the other hand, I've done my taxes and used my credit cards online for years with no problems. So it's a mixed bag for me.

Biometric devices do not only use thumbs to authenticate a user. There's also retinel scanners and voice recognition. But then again, that might just mean you'll lose your tongue and eyes. There's no foolproof security method, since technology only takes it so far, so another alternatice would be to use multi-factor security.

The whole point of security is to slow the person down not give them the whole farm and say "well I'm just going to put a massive door here you can't get trough.' There is always a way in the system and if that massive (bimetric) door breaks down you're in large trouble.
We are not invulnerable unless we live forever. Think of a castle and how it usually has a multi-teered outer wall system. It slows down the attackers enough so they can be dealt with but never stops them completely alone. That's your job through hiding the password etc. So it's a time factor in order to have more time then the intruder to stop him form coming in. You have the advantage because of the sytem he's trying to attack. Like with open source there are usually more walls put up I think. Otherwise you're just marked for death. There attacking your person instead of just a code wtc. Real creepy. Say someone needs to hack a system for some emergency reason across national lines. Who is going to kill that person for the info or completley steal that person's identity.
This is just silly as the movie 'Minority Report' already warned about this. Why do we make films like this for our own personal enjoyment or to help us too? People should heed more warnings from famous books and films.

There is a technology, Light Emitting Sensor, that is now available by our company Integrated Biometrics, that will not work unless the fingerprint is presented by a living human being with a pulse. It does not require a password, it is a USB connected device and can be an enterprise level solution. The spoof that happened in National Treasure will not work on our physical and logical product. www.integratedbiometrics.com See for yourself.

Biometrics may not be perfect. Does anyone really think passwords are?

I've done enough security work to know all too well the limitations of password based security. Yet 99% of all authentication systems are based on an account/password challenge.

Let's give biometrics a chance. The security world badly needs some new tools and implementations in this area.