Perceptions of risk and security concerns using biometric vs traditional authentication methods: a statistical case study

Mobile device authentication methods, both traditional and biometric-based, provide an important layer of security. This study examines whether the presence and type of an authentication method affects perceptions of risk and security concern around three specific types of mobile device actions: banking, health, and activities with personally identifiable information (PII). We also survey users’ general perceptions of trust, usefulness, convenience, ease of use, and social influence toward authentication methods, both traditional and biometric. Statistical analysis of the data indicated that users’ perceptions of risk and security concern change when users consider the type of authentication method present on a device. We also find that while traditional methods are still more familiar, users are beginning to perceive the benefits of biometric-based authentication methods over traditional methods more than in the past. Finally, we discovered that user perceptions about risk and security concerns did not increase after the COVID-19 pandemic as expected, which might also be attributed to increased familiarity and use of the technology among mobile users.