Authentication trends: looking ahead, a user may verify identity by providing a biometric fingerprint together with which additional “print” as a second factor?

Introduction / Context:
Multi-factor authentication increasingly relies on biometrics, which measure physical or behavioral traits to verify identity. A fingerprint is a classic physiological biometric. A complementary factor can be a behavioral or physiological “voice print,” derived from unique features of a user’s speech, adding an extra layer of security without requiring tokens or passwords.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The scenario pairs fingerprint recognition with another “print.”
• We consider commonly used or proposed biometric modalities.
• Terminology like “hard print” or “soft print” lacks standard biometric meaning.

Concept / Approach:
A voice print is a biometric template extracted from a person’s speech characteristics (pitch, formants, spectral features). When a user speaks a passphrase, the system compares the live sample to the stored template. Combining fingerprint (what you are) with voice (also what you are) can create multi-biometric verification with liveness checks to reduce spoofing. Although real-world deployments often mix biometrics with knowledge or possession factors, the question highlights voice as the named second “print.”

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Biometric taxonomies include fingerprint, face, iris, and voice as widely cited modalities. Voice biometrics are used in call centers and mobile banking as additional factors.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Hard/soft print: not recognized biometric modalities.
• Digital: not a specific “print”; all biometrics are digitized.
• None: incorrect because “voice print” is valid.

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming any secondary factor must be a password; the question explicitly asks for another “print,” pointing to voice biometrics.

Final Answer:
voice print