While traditional access control systems might prompt a user to provide a proximity card or a smart card to gain access to a protected resource, a biometric security system requires the user to present their fingerprint (or other biometric) to the system, which is then matched against a stored image to verify the user's identity. Biometric access control systems tie a unique physical attribute of a user to the data that they are allowed to access. 

Traditional computer security (also known as logical security) systems prompt a user to provide a username and password to gain access to a protected resource, while newer systems use smart cards or other security tokens to authenticate computer users.

Both password and token-based systems are susceptible to security breaches by unauthorized users; for example, most passwords are recorded on or near the computer that they're intended to secure, and if an individual's contactless smart card is stolen, anyone can use it.

By contrast, a biometric computer security system requires the user to provide a fingerprint (or other biometric) to the system, which is then verified against a stored biometric template. Because fingerprints offer an additional factor of authentication, i.e., something you are, in addition to something that you know (password), or have (token), biometric security systems offer significant improvements over traditional computer security.

Biometrics add an additional factor of authentication and are therefore a significant improvement in computer security. The most common biometric security systems use fingerprints, but these systems can also use iris and retinal scans, hand geometry, and facial recognition technology.Biometric technology represents a significant security advancement because it physically proves an individual's identity.