However, one would not want to assume biometric identification systems are impervious to attack, as this is definitely not the case. While biometric authentication methods may provide stronger security than simple passwords, the authentication mechanism can still be successfully compromised. Weaknesses in biometric authentication schemes exist and should not be overlooked during a risk analysis evaluation. Authentication is a very important concept in security, because many critical security services are dependant on authenticating users. Deployment is cheaper than other authentication mechanisms.
Passwords are also subject to brute-force attacks.
Once a password file is obtained, the contents can be subjected to software tests that try every possible combination of input characters until they finds a match. No matter how good the password is it will be broken eventually by the automated cracking tools. Organizations face several compelling issues that are forcing them to re-evaluate and strengthen their authentication practices. For example, the trend of internetworking both internal and external systems to realize gains in productivity has resulted in more sensitive being available to more people. This is fine, as long as the availability of the information is limited to the right people.