Gartner Names Keyless as a Leading Decentralized Biometrics Vendor in Latest Report

We are delighted to share findings from Gartner’s recent Innovation Insight on Biometric Authentication, published in December 2023, which examines the innovative landscape of biometric authentication technologies. This report underscores the critical role that Keyless and other decentralized biometrics vendors play in identity and access management frameworks.

How Keyless fits into the decentralized model

A central principle of decentralized systems is non-collusion, ensuring that parties involved in authentication act independently without sharing unnecessary information. No single party should be able to access a complete biometric template or any authentication samples, whether in use, stored, or during transit.

Keyless’ flagship Zero-Knowledge Biometrics™ (ZKB) technology uses the cryptographic technique known as secure Multi-Party Computation (sMPC) to split biometric data between our backend and the user’s device, which ensures no data is stored system-wide and prevents us from testing whether an image matches user profiles.

Comparison with traditional biometric authentication approaches

The Gartner report compares Keyless’ approach to local and centralized biometrics, highlighting that the decentralized model has the most well-rounded approach as it combines the benefits of both local and centralized biometrics.

• It offers organizations independence from user-controlled devices, which is a limitation faced by local biometrics that keep biometric data tied to a single device.

• Similar to centralized models, decentralized biometrics do not have to rely on the device manufacturer’s liveness detection and also have much more control over who has enrolled in their system.

• While local biometrics have traditionally guaranteed high levels of privacy since the data does not leave the device, Gartner has recognised that the decentralized model (if implemented correctly) offers the same level of privacy.

• Gartner notes that the user experience in decentralized biometrics does not yet match that of local biometrics, primarily because local models operate directly on the device and do not rely on cloud servers. Despite this, the decentralized model is still rated as fair.

Keyless: Privacy-Preserving Decentralized Biometrics

Gartner's endorsement of decentralized biometric techniques underscores the significance of these methods in identity and access management strategies, validating Keyless's strategic vision. Keyless goes beyond typical decentralized biometric storage by ensuring that no biometric data is stored at all, setting us apart from other vendors. Our commitment to privacy-preserving authentication that combines the benefits of existing systems without compromising on user privacy not only aligns with current technological trends but also sets a new standard for the future of digital identity protection.

We encourage industry leaders to delve into the Gartner report to better understand the technological advancements and strategic recommendations that will define the future of biometric authentication. For a more comprehensive overview, you are welcome to download the full report from our website or contact us directly for more information on how Keyless is leading the charge in secure, decentralized biometric authentication.