To be sure, there are downsides to popular biometric options. Fingerprint authentication doesn't always work properly, if, for example, a person's finger is wet or chapped, or the sensor can't detect an exact match for another reason. But facial authentication technology also has drawbacks, especially as deepfake technology advances, said Fang, who is also a member of the Secure Technology Alliance, a not-for-profit, multi-industry association focused on identity, access and payments. There can also be limitations on how well facial authentication works depending on factors such as lighting and whether the person had facial surgery such as a nose job or eyebrow lift, she said.
"It can be a good feature for some lower-risk cases, but not all cases," Fang said.