---
url: 'https://www.corbado.com/faq/biometric-authentication-security-compliance'
title: 'How does biometric auth enhance compliance & security?'
description: 'Biometric authentication enhances security and compliance by providing phishing-resistant, multi-factor authentication that aligns with PSD2 and SCA.'
lang: 'en'
---

# How does biometric auth enhance compliance & security?

## How Does Biometric Authentication Enhance Compliance & Security?

**Biometric authentication** (e.g., [Face ID](https://www.corbado.com/faq/is-face-id-passkey), Touch ID,
[Windows Hello](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/windows-hello)) is a **key component** of modern digital
security, **enhancing both compliance and user protection**. When combined with **passkeys
and WebAuthn**, biometrics provide a **seamless yet highly secure authentication method**
that aligns with **PSD2’s Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements**.

## How Biometrics Improve Security

### 1. Phishing Resistance

- Unlike passwords, **biometric credentials cannot be phished or stolen**.
- Attackers cannot trick users into providing a fingerprint or face scan on fraudulent
  websites.

### 2. Hardware-Backed Security

- [Biometric authentication](https://www.corbado.com/blog/passkeys-biometric-authentication) occurs in **secure
  hardware modules**, such as:
    - **Secure Enclave** (Apple)
    - **Trusted Platform Module (TPM)** (Windows)
    - **Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)**
      ([Android](https://www.corbado.com/blog/how-to-enable-passkeys-android))
- These modules **prevent unauthorized access to biometric data**.

### 3. Elimination of Password-Related Attacks

- Traditional authentication methods (passwords, OTPs) are vulnerable to:
    - **Credential stuffing**
    - **Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks**
    - **Data breaches**
- Biometrics **eliminate these risks by removing passwords from authentication flows**.

## How Biometrics Support Regulatory Compliance

### 1. Meets PSD2’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Requirements

- **PSD2 mandates that authentication includes at least two of the following:**
    - **Something You Know** (e.g., PIN, password)
    - **Something You Have** (e.g., device with passkey)
    - **Something You Are** (e.g., fingerprint, face scan)
- **Passkeys with biometrics inherently fulfill this requirement** by combining
  **device-bound security with biometric authentication**.

### 2. Ensures Dynamic Linking in Payment Authentication

- [PSD2](https://www.corbado.com/blog/psd2-passkeys) **requires transactions to be cryptographically bound to
  authentication**.
- Biometrics **securely verify the user’s presence** during sensitive transactions,
  reducing fraud risk.

### 3. Secure and Private Data Storage

- **Biometric data is never stored in the cloud**; instead, it is **kept locally on the
  device in a secure enclave**.
- This ensures **compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations**.

### 4. Reduced Fraud & Lower Compliance Costs

- Financial institutions face **PSD2 non-compliance penalties** if fraud rates exceed
  thresholds.
- Biometrics **significantly lower fraud risks**, reducing the need for additional
  security measures.

## Why Passkeys + Biometrics Are the Future of Authentication

- **Seamless user experience**: No need for users to remember passwords.
- **Highly secure**: Prevents [phishing](https://www.corbado.com/glossary/phishing), replay attacks, and
  credential theft.
- **Regulatory compliance**: Meets [PSD2](https://www.corbado.com/blog/psd2-passkeys)’s **SCA requirements** with
  hardware-backed authentication.

## Conclusion

**Biometric authentication enhances both security and compliance** by providing
**phishing-resistant, hardware-backed authentication** that aligns with **PSD2, SCA, and
global security standards**. When combined with **passkeys and WebAuthn**, it **eliminates
password risks, enhances fraud prevention, and ensures seamless multi-factor
authentication**.

## Read the full article