Biometrics Security News and Information

The Ease Of Use Variable-Very Important

Mobile Transactions From Your Wireless Device

In today’s news headlines, we consistently hear about job loss, the gloomy economy, and especially about banks and their potential demise from the Financial System due to all of the bad loans given out.  Well, the banking industry is making news again recently, but its not about another bank collapsing-its about the explosive growth being witnessed in Mobile Banking.

This is according to a major research project conducted by a Market Research Firm known as “Javelin Strategy and Research”.  They just recently published a report entitled “Multi-Channel Authentication Via Mobile Banking: Assessing the Technologies, Vendors, and Solution Providers”.  In this report there were numerous findings which demonstrate this uptrend of banking on your Cell Phone (actually the more appropriate term is “Smartphone”).  Here are some of the findings:

*36 Million people use currently utilize mobile banking to some degree or another, of which 18% are users here in the United States.  This number of users is expected to explode up to 99 Million users, by the year 2014.

“*For ease of use: six out of ten consumers prefer simple authentication methods such as image recognition. Security questions came in close second with 59% ranking the method easy to use. In contrast, three in ten consumers ranked biometrics as easy to use.

* For effectiveness: Simple security questions – or knowledge based authentication (KBA) – ranked highest in effectiveness by 65% of consumers.

* For high risk authentication – Consumers ranked an additional security question (also KBA) as the preferred method of authentication with three in 10 trusting it as their method of choice”.

(SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7357/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

With this increased trend expected in mobile banking from your Smartphone, also comes the increased risk of Security Breaches to one’s financial accounts.  To my surprise, as much as I have written about the use of Biometric for cell phone authentication (using mostly Fingerprint Recognition, Voice Recognition, and Keystroke Recognition), this study found that only 30% of the respondents preferred using Biometrics as a means of Security. 

Perhaps this could be equated to the fact that when one thinks about Biometrics used for banking, the image of using a Fingerprint Scanner at the ATM Machines is often conjured up.

Also, it was found that other types of Biometrics Technologies for use as a means of Verification and/or Identification did not bode very well either, such as Voice Recognition and Vein Pattern Recognition (this is one I would consider more of an emerging Biometric Technology).

Overall, it was discovered that utilizing a Multimodal Security (also known as “Two Factor Authentication”) approach which is very easy to use seems to be the most appealing to the end user.  This does not surprise me at all, as the theme in a lot of my Postings with regards to the End User has been about ease of use. 

I think Biometrics can still prove its worth here, despite the results of the lack of interested in using it.  The key thing is that the Biometric Vendors have to make a push to educate the end user about the ease of use of the Biometrics which are being implemented in the mobile banking application. 

In this regard, I think Voice Recognition could probably work the best, because the end user does not have to type or enter any kind of information-all they have to do is merely speak for just a few seconds for instant Verification and/or Authentication.

Remember, the Biometric Technology may address all of the security needs of the end user, but if the perceived ease of use is very low, the acceptance will be very low as well.  Once again, this Posting proves that ease of use is probably one of the most very important variables to take into consideration when developing and/or implementing a Biometric Technology.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7357/

The Security Boon From Healthcare Reform

A Boost For Biometrics???

Ever since the beginning of this year, the Stimulus Bill was all the rage in Washington, DC, and lately its has been Healthcare Reform, and the myriad of complexities and issues that go along with it.  Well, it seems like that the Security Industry (not necessarily just Biometrics) is also jumping on the bandwagon of healthcare reform.

For instance, The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council, which is composed of close to 100 individuals (representing a broad range of industries from Smart Cards to various End Users to Software Security Vendors, etc.) is now discussing that the Security impacts of Healthcare Reform will be on top of its agenda for 2010, along with Cybersecurity issues as well.

Some details of this new founded attention to Healthcare:  “The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council will turn its attention to cybersecurity and healthcare identity in the upcoming year . . . This past year, the Identity Council collaborated with the Smart Card Alliance Healthcare Council on a number of projects, including a National Press Club briefing in Washington, DC, last May. The purpose of the briefing was to raise awareness of the importance of privacy, access and identity in the Obama administration's effort to modernize the nation's healthcare information infrastructure. The two Councils also collaborated on the brief, ‘Effective Healthcare Identity Management: A Necessary First Step for Improving U.S. Healthcare Information Systems - A Smart Card Alliance Brief for Government Policy Makers and Other Stakeholders.’”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7353/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

There will be a huge Smart Cards Conference (it is called the “Smart Card Alliance 8th Annual Smart Cards in Government Conference”) to be held in Washington, DC later this month, and I know Healthcare Reform and its impacts on Security will be a very hot topic to be debated and discussed. 

Apparently, I did not realize this, but the IT Sector in Healthcare is actually getting funding of up to $19 Billion from the Stimulus Bill.  But again, not to get political, this is just piecemeal spending like the DHS getting some $3 Billion for better securing this country.  The complexities and issues of IT in Healthcare is obviously not as big or great as the whole concept of Healthcare Reform is, but its going take a lot more than just $19 Billion to fix the legacy IT systems, and make them better. 

On another point, who is to say that this $19 Billion won’t  just go to another country who is outsourced to take care of our Healthcare IT Systems?  Nobody has really said how this money is going to be specifically spent.

However the Healthcare Reform looks in the end, even if Legislation is passed and does take place, I think it could be a big boon for the Security and Biometrics Industry.  Probably one of the most important Security issues to come out of this will be privacy, protection, and confidentiality of Patient data  and information, as new Healthcare Systems are introduced. 

In terms of Biometrics, I think the single Biometric Technology which will probably receive the greatest lift will be the Single Sign Solutions, as nobody wants to remember the hundreds of passwords which are currently required to access Patient information and data.

Finally, equally important to consider is how Biometrics Contracts will be awarded to the various Biometric Vendors as Healthcare Legislation is passed.  For example, will the Federal Government use their current model, or use something entirely different, which will be fair to all Biometric Vendors so they can claim their stake in wealth of Healthcare Reform???

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7353/

The e-Passport Playing Field

Another Organization Involved With The e-Passport

The International Civil Aviation Organization (also known as the “ICAO”) is a special branch of the United Nations, and acts as the ears and eyes for the public with regards to issues to commercial aviation.  It is a rather large organization, and they have mandated standards for the use of Biometric Technologies in airport environments, especially the use of Facial Recognition for Verification and/or Identification of passengers and travelers.

The ICAO is not routinely heard about in the news, so when this organization speaks, people do listen.  Well, they have come out in the news again, this time with something new, it is in regards to the e-Passport.  A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “Critical Path, Inc.” has just announced that is has been selected by another Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “Netrust Pte Ltd.” to provide a key component to the ICAO version of the e-Passport.  Netrust is operating on behalf of the ICAO, in the area primarily of administering the Public Key Infrastructure (also known as “PKI”) which is used for the Encryption and Cryptography procedures.

Here are some of the details of this announcement:  “Netrust selected Critical Path’s Directory and Meta-Directory solutions to provide the foundation for the PKD [the PKI component]. Critical Path’s Directory was implemented to manage the access, authentication and authorization for personnel accessing the directory. Meta-Directory was used to implement the workflows for ICAO’s due diligence, automate the certificate processes, handle synchronization to ensure data integrity, and implement critical disaster recovery.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7351/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

I first started writing Postings about the e-Passport at the beginning of this year.  At first thought, it was my thinking that the governments of individual nations would be ultimately responsible for designing and implementing the Security Infrastructure for their own, respective e-Passport.  And, that was my thinking up until last week.

Last week, I wrote a Posting about how INTERPOL was creating its own version of the e-Passport, and now today I write about the ICAO being involved.  It seems like all of a sudden, there are many more organizations being involved with the e-Passport, which in one respect is a good thing, because it shows international seriousness in implementing it.  But on the other hand, with this “mess” of different types of organizations coming into the mix, my question is how globally uniform will the e-Passport become?

Meaning, will the technology used in one country to develop their version of the e-Passport be compatible to another country’s e-Passport technology?

While I support the view that each country should develop their version of the e-Passport to what works best for their people and Information Technology Infrastructure, there should be an organization (a combination of both government and private sector components) which oversees interoperability standards of the e-Passport between nations.  I mean what is the point of developing an e-Passport in one country if it cannot be read and processed in another country???

To this end, (trying not to sound politically minded here), should the United Nations, especially the ICAO be the facilitator in developing these interoperability standards?  My view is no, it should not. Rather, these standards should be developed together by all countries involved and the various Biometrics/Security Vendors involved in creating and developing the technology for the e-Passport.

Let’s see who turns up next on the e-Passport playing field.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7351/

Getting Certified In Biometrics

Education In Biometrics

For those of us in the IT field, we are all too familiar with all of the certifications, from Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, A+, etc.  In terms of Security, the main one is the CISSP (I am actually at present studying for this exam and expect to take it soon). 

Well, now Biometrics has just started its own certification exam.  It has been created by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc. (also known as “IEEE”), as well as other Biometrics/Security Vendors.  The certification is known as the “IEEE Certified Biometrics Professional”.  This new founded biometrics certification has two components:  The actual exam, and the real world training aspect of it known as the” IEEE Certified Biometrics Professional Learning System.”

Here are some more details of this:  “By passing the IEEE CBP exam and earning the CBP designation, biometrics professionals demonstrate that they have the level of proficiency needed to perform in a competent and effective manner, and meet the demands of this rapidly evolving field. The IEEE CBP Learning System combines print materials and online interactive software to provide effective biometrics training and CBP exam preparation.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7348/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Apparently, the first biometrics certification will be given this year, specifically, from October 26^th to November 22^nd.  The ultimate objective of this exam is to show baseline competency in the biometrics field for a security professional.

As an IT and a Security Professional, I have become very leery of certification exams, especially those offered by the big name vendors.  The reason for that is first, they are very expensive.  Second, every time a new software comes out (such as a new Operating System), one has to get certified into the new level of software in order to maintain their certification.  This of course, means more money being spent in the end on all of these training manuals, training CD’s, etc.  Third, there is no baseline experience required to get these vendor based certifications.  Anybody with years and years of experience or no experience at all who is willing to spend tons of money on a one week exam boot camp can take these exams.  So who is to say one is IT competent in this regard?

At least with the CISSP, one has to have a certain amount of required experience, and there is only one exam take, unlike the vendor based certifications, in which one is required to take tons of exams (and of course, spend more money).  Plus, one does not have to keep taking exams every 2 years in order to maintain their current certification level.  In this regard, the CISSP is much more proactive.  To maintain your certification, you have to actually have to make a contribution to the field of Security in some regard.  For example, this could be teaching, writing, research, giving presentations, taking courses at the local college to keep one’s skills sharp, etc.

I sincerely hope that this new biometric certification takes more or less the same approach the CISSP does.  To maintain the current level of certification, one should not be evaluated based upon their knowledge of the latest “techno-gizmos” which come out in Biometrics, but rather the level of contributions they are making to the field of Biometrics.  Perhaps another important requirement to maintain current certification status should be in how much one is involved in teaching and educating the public about Biometrics. 

Eventually, for the world of Biometrics, it’s all going to come down to public acceptance, and this would be one great opportunity for that to happen.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7348/

Your Smart Phone: The iPhone And Blackberry Storm

Security For The Wireless

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “Delfigo Security” has just announced a new Security Solution for the iPhone, and it is Multimodal in nature.  The Solution is called “DSGateway” Multifactor Authentication, or “MFA” for short.

Here are some further details of this Security Solution:  “Organizations that deploy DSGateway can offer full authentication for web applications without needing to deploy new software or policies to support mobile devices . . . DSGateway uniquely verifies the identity of a mobile user using the biometric, geospatial, and system parameters associated with that device.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7345/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Based on a recent Security Report from Gartner entitled “Competitive Landscape: Mobile Devices, Worldwide, 2Q09”, a 27% spike in the use of Smart Phones.  Note, I am not talking about regular cell phones, I am talking about “Smart Phones”, which essentially become your mobile office on the go.  Apart from the iPhone, another prime example of the Smart Phone is the “Blackberry Storm”, with its touch screen or what is known as “Push Technology”.

As a result of this spike in demand for Smart Phones, there will be a strong need for Security Solutions such as the one described in this Posting.  This Security Solution mentioned is unique from two different perspectives.  First, to deploy it onto your iPhone, the end user does not need additional Security Software, nor does this require any sudden change in the written Security Policy of the business or organization which govern the use of Wireless Devices. 

Second, this Security Solution utilizes Keystroke Recognition (this is considered to be what is known as a “Behavioral Biometric”) to capture the unique way the end user types on the keyboard of the iPhone.  This is in turn is used to positively Verify and/or Identify the user.

As the demand and usage for Smart Phones proliferate, it will be very interesting to see the Security Solutions which come out, especially in the way of Biometrics for the iPhone, or the Blackberry Storm.  I think the leading Biometric Technologies in this regard will be Fingerprint Recognition, Voice Recognition, Keystroke Recognition, and possible even Iris Recognition.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7345/

What Are Your Thoughts On The Stimulus Bill???

Stimulus Money For Security

Well, at last, we finally hear about it:  Stimulus money being spent for Security.  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has just announced that $380+ Million will be spent from the legislation known as the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (also known as ARRA) to fund various types of Security Infrastructure Projects.

Some of these Infrastructure Projects include improving public services (such as fire stations) to upgrading the levels of Security at the many Points of Entry and Exit located here in the United States, as well as increasing the size of law enforcement at these places.

Where does Biometrics come into play here?  Well, it comes in the form of the “TWIC” Card (I have written about this before in previous Postings).  For example, “The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) is awarding $150 million in ARRA funding to protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism; enhance maritime domain awareness and risk management capabilities; and support the implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)—a tamper-resistant biometric credential issued to workers who require unescorted access to secure areas of ports and vessels.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7341/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

While it is good to see finally the Federal Government spending money on upgrading Security (and not just simply awarding Security Contracts), I do have some serious reservations about the way and the approach which is being used to improve Security here in the US.

First, not just from a Security perspective, but from a macroeconomic standpoint, there have been many complaints that the Stimulus money is only being spent on short term projects, with no long term, lasting value which is so important to any sustainable economic recovery.  This, in my opinion can be seen now the way the Stimulus money is being spent for these Security projects:  “In awarding ARRA funds, DHS prioritizes shovel-ready projects that infuse resources into local economies quickly while meeting critical security needs.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7341/).

In my view as a Security Professional, the Security Infrastructure here in this country is so backwards that ultra long term investments are needed for any real, positive change can occur.  A prime of example of this is in training airport security officials?  Why not invest some this money into creating a long term training program which will create vigilant and very observant Security guards whom are trained to Identify real threats which are posed?  Why not use this money to increase their wages so that airport security officials will be dedicated to their job and stay for the long term?

Second, I really don’t like this piece meal approach which is being used to address the Security Issues in this country.  For example, some $3+ Billion will just be spent directly for DHS Projects.  In my view, it’s going to take much, much, much more than this to improve our country’s Security for the long term.  I know it won’t happen given the current Deficit Spending climate in Washington, but for real change to happen in Security, another similar Stimulus Bill would have to be passed along the same magnitude as the ARRA.

Third, it seems like that a lot of this Stimulus money (if not all of it) is being spent just for infrastructure projects.  What about spending some of this Stimulus money onto Research and Development such as Biometrics???  Eventually the legacy Security Systems currently being used will have to be replaced, and new ones will have to be implemented.  If Stimulus money is spent in this regard, it could be a great boon for the Smaller to Medium Sized Enterprises (SME’s), and thus hiring and long term job growth can be created.

Well, these are some of my thoughts on ARRA spending on Security for the United States.  I would love to hear from my subscribers . . . what are your thoughts???

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7341/

Potential Confusion And Chaos

A Police Branded e-Passport

In all of the Postings I have written about the e-Passport, usually it is the Federal Government of that respective country which takes the lead in determining how their e-Passport will be developed and implemented.

Now it seems like, police agencies can also take a major role as to what the e-Passport will shape up to be like.  The police agency which will be branding a new breed of e-Passport is INTERPOL, and here are some of the details of it:  “The INTERPOL e-passport, which will incorporate security features such as laser engraving, an electronic chip, and holographic, micrographic and optical security elements, will be developed by the EDAPS Consortium, which leads a grouping of 20 suppliers from 12 countries -- an international effort welcomed by the Secretary General.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7330/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

The basic premise of a police based e-Passport is that “Criminals can cross borders swiftly and effortlessly, while our Heads of National Central Bureaus and even our headquarters staff are slowed down or stopped because of bureaucratic international red tape . . .”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7330/). 

In other words, the ultimate goal is to give law enforcement agencies around the world the ability to move quickly to capture known criminals or suspects, and to make more efficient and timely their transfers across international borders.

Also, another objective of a police based e-Passport is to set a high level of standard for travel document security, so such documents will be very difficult to replicate.  The Biometric component of the INTERPOL e-Passport will remain under the jurisdiction of INTERPOL, and various Biometrics/Security Vendors from all over the world will take part in the development of this new breed of e-Passport.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about this development.  Yes, I can fully understand the need to streamline the process so that law enforcement officials can travel the globe easily to apprehend suspects and criminals, but why not just take the existing processes of granting permission for crossing into international borders and streamline that?  Or are the systems that backwards and bureaucratic that it is just better to start from scratch, like the INTERPOL based e-Passport?

In my view, I think there should be just one organization in each country which oversees the implementation of their own e-Passport.  There should also be an international group which creates, develops, and implements a common set of Best Practices and Standards for the e-Passport which should be adopted by all countries. 

I think it is setting a somewhat dangerous precedent to have the Federal Governments of each nation and now the thousands of police agencies worldwide to set up and implement their own version of the e-Passport.  In the end, there will be just many different types and brands of e-Passports, which will cause nothing but interoperability headaches/issues, as well as mass confusion and chaos at the major points of entry and exit at every country.

And to what end will this serve, when the original intention and purpose of the e-Passport is to have a standard, and uniform for Verifying and/or Identifying individuals???

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7330/

From Consolidation Of Biometric Vendors To Consolidation Of Biometric Technologies???

A Biometric Technology Consolidated Into One

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “Unisys” has apparently demonstrated that the differing types of Iris Recognition Technologies from the various Iris Recognition Vendors can be combined into one system. 

This breakthrough came as a result of the US-VISIT Program, which uses Biometrics as a primary means of Verifying and/or Identifying individuals, especially non US Citizens, entering into the United States through the nation’s major international airports.  I have written about US-VISIT in previous Postings.

Essentially, three Vendor’s Iris Recognition Solutions were made into one Biometric System, each fulfilling a separate component of the Biometric Process, from template creation to Verification/Identification. 

Here are the details:  “The LG Iris IrisAccess iCAM4000 was used for the enrollment of the test subjects’ iris data into the system. The LG Iris iCAM H100 handheld prototype device was also used to demonstrate potential mobile applications to capture iris and face image data from non-fixed locations . . . the AOptix InSight sensor demonstrated iris identification from a distance of two to three meters. Conventional iris recognition systems have required the subject to accurately place their eyes in a very small capture zone . . . Global Rainmakers, Inc. HBOX presented the ability to identify individuals in continuous motion.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7316/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

In all of the years I have been involved in Biometrics, this is probably the first time I have seen such a concerted movement made to consolidate the various Biometric Solutions on a single Biometric Technology into one.

Obviously, this has great impacts, for the long term.  Now, the end user, whether it be a single individual, a business, or the Federal Government, has a choice into the types of Biometric Solutions they want to implement.  Nobody is restricted to just one Biometric Solution, the freedom to implement what works best is now available.  In other words, customization to exact needs is there.

My first thought is what will happen to the future pricing of Iris Recognition Devices.  They tend to be on the much more pricier side when compared to other Biometric Technologies, so will this consolidation of Biometric Solutions drive down the price???

My second thought is how this breakthrough will impact the level of Research and Development and competition in the Biometrics World.  For example, will this drive competitors to create alliances amongst one another so they can offer the latest and greatest to their customers?  Will this also mean an increase in R and D spending in the capital budget, now that monopolistic practices in the Biometrics Industry could very well come to an end???

My third thought is how breakthrough will affect the awarding of Biometrics Contracts, especially by the Federal Government.  For example, right now, for the most part, it is primarily one Contract to one primary Vendor, but instead will one major, blanket Biometrics Contract be awarded with specific sub contracts being awarded to the specific Biometric Vendors whose Biometric Solution will fulfill a certain part of the Biometric Process???  In other words, will there be many Biometric Vendors to fulfill a single Biometrics Contract???

Finally, will the trend of consolidations, and Mergers and Acquisitions of the various Biometric Vendors be followed by the consolidation of all of the major Biometric Technologies???

Yes, certainly this is a breakthrough for Biometrics, but a lot of unanswered questions become revealed . . . .

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7316/

A True Eye Opener

Smart Cards Revisited

Ok, it has been some time since I have written a Posting about Smart Cards, so here we go . . . .

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “SCM Microsystems, Inc.” has just announced a new Product, called the “SCL3711”.  Essentially, this is a portable Smart Card Reader.

Here are some details:  “The SCL3711 is a high-performance, fully interoperable, multi-protocol portable USB reader that supports all major 13.56 MHz contactless technologies, including ISO 14443 type A&B, FeliCa, MIFARE and DESFire. It additionally has the unique ability to enable devices with NFC (Near Field Communication) connectivity - just by inserting it into a free USB port or integrating it directly into the respective device. Hence, it resolves problems of compatibility and conflicting standards that have limited more widespread use of contactless devices.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7304/)

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

This Product is truly unique from what I have seen before with anything that deals with Smart Cards. 

First, this Product is designed to support a wide range of Market Applications, ranging from wireless communication (such as talking on your cell phone, remote web surfing, etc.) to physical access control to logical access control, as well as to Federal Government programs which are internet based.

Second, this Product can essentially interface with all of the Smart Card Protocols which are in existence today, and due to its small size and portability, it can be used virtually in just about any type of commercial environment.  For example, it can be both a home based Smart Card Reader, or one that can be used by the frequent traveler, whether it be in the car, train, or airplane.

Third, there is a software development kit (SDK) which comes with this Product.  More specifically, it contains  “ . . . a variety of popular contactless tags in different designs, comprehensive documentation, source code examples and demo applications.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7304/).

Fourth, probably what struck me as most unique is that this Product is very mobile and portable.  My image of Smart Card Readers were those that are mounted in a permanent position at a door or other point of entry at a place of business or organization. 

Also, my main vision of Smart Card Readers were for Verification and/or Identification of individuals as they tried to gain authorization to enter.  I never really imagined a Smart Card Reader doing other types of Security functions, such as those described in the first paragraph of this Posting.

So yes, the bottom line is that this Product is a true eye opener for me.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7304/

Is One Country Enough???

A Different Type of Biometric Multimodal Solution

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “ZK Software, Inc.” has just announced it has released a new Biometrics Product called the “iFace”. 

This is designed to be a Multimodal Solution, utilizing all spectrums of Security measures.  For example, individuals can be Verified and/or Identified via Fingerprint Recognition, Facial Recognition, PIN Numbers, and even RFID (this was discussed in a recent Posting).  This Product contains a Fingerprint Scanner, a special night time camera for the Facial Recognition, and can connect with normal Ethernet and Wireless Networks.

Here are some more details:  “Also incorporated is the industry’s fastest fingerprint and facial matching algorithm with an “auto-learning” infra-red night-vision optical camera. The iFace can detect the same face with 15 different facial expressions and is unaffected by varying light intensity.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7300/)

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

When I think of Biometric Multimodal Solutions, I often think of Fingerprint Recognition and Iris Recognition being together.  I guess that is how I have always written about it.  This is one of the very few times I have seen Facial Recognition and Fingerprint Recognition being used together as a Multimodal Solution.

Also, from what I have read, it is claimed that this Product has been tested for about 12 years, at three different airport settings, utilizing some half a million faces, in China.  But nowhere is it mentioned about being tested in other Countries such as the United States or in Continents like Europe, where there are many more airports and many more different types of travelers from all different walks of life utilizing them.  This will for sure provide a very rich testing environment, as there will be obviously many types of unique features to be extracted and examined.

So, this Posting lends itself to another question . . . when a Biometric Product is manufactured in one Country and tested thoroughly there, should it not be tested in other Countries as well to take into account the differences in the populations who will be using them?

I would think this would be a very important point to take into consideration for a Biometric Vendor if there are trying to sell their Products and Solutions to overseas markets.

Just my thought, and would like to hear from others on this viewpoint!!!

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7300/