Biometrics Security News and Information

Biometrics And Sports

Biometrics And Sports

You know, it seems like to me that Biometrics is approaching almost a new application every day of sorts.  Yesterday’s Posting dealt with the awful thing of human trafficking, and how Biometrics is being used to curtail this horrible crime.  Well, now, in today’s Posting, Biometrics is fast approaching a newer application, and believe it or not, it has to do with sports and sporting events. 

The venue has to do with the Tour De France, and here are the details of this:  “SMT (SportsMEDIA Technology Corporation), the leading provider of data integration, graphics presentation and video enhancement solutions for the sports and entertainment industries, for the fifth consecutive year is providing VERSUS with its signature race technology for the Tour de France to help television viewers identify individual cyclists throughout the 21-stage, 2,200-mile competition. SMT’s technology will also allow viewers to see the cyclists’ biometrics data, revealing speed, cadence, power generated and, in some cases, a rider’s heart rate.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9091/). 

My Take

Of course, providing statistics of a sporting event on TV is really nothing new.  For instance, during the major tennis tournaments, such as the US Open, and Wimbledon, the speed of a tennis ball, of when it is served across the court, can be seen.  And, they are very fast speeds (I don’t think I can hit a ball that fast, with so much forward velocity).  But, this is the first time I have come across Biometrics being used.  But, once again, it is very important to make a clarification.  The term Biometrics is not being used here in terms of the traditional definition of Security, such as Fingerprint Recognition, Iris Recognition, Verification/Identification, etc. 

Rather, the term Biometrics is being used to describe the actual physiological and biological movements of the athlete at this biking race, in particular the heartbeat.  So this is where the confusion often comes into play . . . does Biometrics imply the medical definition of it, or the Security definition of it.  Of course, me being biased, tend to think it is defined in the latter. 

But really, now I am starting to change my mind about it.  I am seeing more and more applications using the former definition of it.  And probably the best, recent example of this, is using Biometrics to gauge how a customer will react to a certain television or online ad.  Fingerprint Recognition or Iris Recognition is not being measured, but rather heart rate, eye movements, etc. are being tracked and monitored. So how does one reconcile the difference between the medical and Security definitions of Biometrics??? 

Well, I think medical definition of it should be incorporated into the Security component.  By this, the Biometrics Vendors will have even more enormous opportunities to capitalize upon untapped market segments, as well as applications.  And this includes the market research opportunities as just described, as well as the major sporting events and venues. 

Heck even throw in this mix Gesture Recognition, of which I have written about it before.  If my view of combining these two definitions does actually come into fruition, who knows, perhaps we the American public could embrace and accept Biometrics as a whole.  But, back to this Posting, it will be interesting to see in what other sporting venues Biometrics takes a hold in.  Hmm, how about the martial arts???  Just a thought.

One Of The Worst Things Possible

Crimes Against Humanity

Although the United States is in a state of its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, this country has always prided itself throughout the rest of the world with guaranteed liberties for all who come to our shores.  And yes, this includes people who have been accused of committing a crime, and those that are convicted as well.  As far as I know, when respect to many other nations around the world, we are probably the only country with “Innocent until proven guilty”, as opposed to “Guilty until proven innocent”. 

Although I am far from having any formal legal training, I do now know that this jurisprudence applies to all forms of law, and the crimes which are committed.  We hear about crimes every day, but probably the most heinous which involve human trafficking.  And it is today, I came across a Press Release which addresses this topic, and a Security solution which is being used to curtail this trend (yep, Biometrics). 

The details:  “The International Operations Center for Children (IOCC) announced today that it has entered into an alliance with GateKeeper USA Inc., who has developed an automated device that will soon be available for all shipping containers. This technology will act as a tremendous deterrent for traffickers who use freight shipping as a method to transit humans for various forms of exploitation . . . The CAMS (Container Automated Monitoring System) device is equipped with Biometrics and other sensors that provide immediate recognition of a human presence. That, coupled with CAMS’ ability to detect water, food, traces of light, hull ventilation breaches, narcotics and other related items that are present in human trafficking activities, will be a viable tool on the war on trafficking . . . In SE Asia alone, there are at least 200-225,000 trafficked annually, and of that number, 30,000 women and children are estimated to arrive in the USA. Human trafficking is a highly profitable illegal business in which people are coerced or tricked into traveling far from their homes to work for little or no money.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9087/). 

My Take

As you can see from the above quote, the primary Biometrics Vendor is known as “GateKeeper USA, Inc.”.  As one can also garner from up above, each shipping container will consist of its own Security solution, which will track any type or kind of human movement in the shipping containers.  Although the specific Biometric Technology being used in this regard is not mentioned, it would be safe to surmise that probably something like Gesture Recognition is being used, or other types of sensors which capture other types of Biometric data, such as heart rate, heart beat, heat, perspiration.  Although these are not Biometric Technologies of each of themselves, they are still considered to be a “Biometric” none the less. 

Fortunately here in the United States, human trafficking is not a really a huge problem.  This problem primarily exists in the Asian, African, and the Asian Pacific regions, where there is virtually no laws to protect against this horrible crime.  It is really good to see that extra Security precautions are being taken.  But as I write this Posting, one major thought comes to my head.  These Biometrics and Security solutions are supposed to be implanted into the cargo container itself.  So who is to prevent anybody from actually disabling this devices???  In other words, what other layers of Security are being used to protect this Security solution???  Are these devices hidden in some covert fashion, or are they that small enough that nobody will actually directly notice them unless they take a really good look into the shipping container??? 

Just some serious questions to ponder upon.  Also, here is another idea:  Why not actually use Biometric Technology in these Security Solutions??? One that comes to mind immediately is Facial Recognition.  Since the technology is now become small enough (as well as affordable, to some degree), why not install this into shipping containers to positively verify and/or identify an individual who may be trafficked in a shipping container???  For instance, a huge database can be created of trafficked individuals, and through Wireless technology, the Facial Recognition device can be connected to this database, after they have take several images of the person in question inside the shipping container??? 

Yea, I know it is probably a lot easier said than done, but hey, it is a worthwhile suggestion to the Biometrics Industry to follow up on???  To be honest, this is the first time I have heard of Biometrics being used in this regard.  And, this is what I would call a “Good News Biometric”.  Meaning, Biometrics being used for a much greater social good than just Security.

Security Certification

Certifications Abound

I have been in the IT industry for some 15+ years now.  Much of that was doing networking and database stuff.  When I first started, the concept of IT certification was just starting out.  From what I can remember, there were not too many at the time, but the hustle and bustle of the late 90’s certainly propelled the demand for it. It seemed like for every new brand of server which came out, a new certification came out.  Of course, my eyes caught this attention also, and so at the time, my dream was to get my MCSE certification. 

Over time, thought, as my interest grew into Biometrics, my attention shifted away from that to the CISSP certification.  I am planning to take it next year some time, in fact.  I just need to start studying for it.  With all of the certifications which have been bandied about, I always wondered about the certifications for the Biometrics Industry.  Well, finally some have come about.  I have been asked by a training institute located in Oak Brook, IL, known as “Biocertification” to publish a Press Release about some of the Biometrics Certifications they have to offer.  The certifications are known as the “Certified Biometric Security Professional (CBSP)”, and the “Certified Biometric Security Engineer (CBSE)”.  To find out more about these programs, click here:

www.biometricnews.net/Biocertification/Press_Release.pdf 

If you are interested in pursuing these certification tracks, the contact information is also in the Press Release.

Our Smartphone: A Reflection Of Us

Smartphones Are Here To Stay

We all know it, Smartphones are now a fact of life.  And, it is not just a fact of life, it is a part of one our basic necessities of life, just like food, water and air are.  In other words, we can’t live without it.  If we lose our Smartphone, or are without it for even a brief period of time, we are completely paralyzed.  But coupled with this paralysis, so are the Security threats and risks which are posed to it.  Since the Smartphone is virtually an extension of our lives, both personal and professional, hackers and Identity Theft thieves are preying upon this vulnerability. 

And according to a recent market research report, the findings only underscore this trend.  The details:  “According to the latest Goode Intelligence report, "Mobile Phone Biometric Security – Analysis and Forecasts 2011 – 2015", mobile phone biometric security products and services will generate just over $30 million in 2011 and that the market will grow to over $161 million in revenue by 2015, which represents an increase of over $130 million.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.biometricnewsportal.com/biometrics_news3.asp?articleid=266481&arttitle=Mobile phone biometric security market to increase dramatically). 

This research report discovered a number of key drivers for this surge in the interest of Biometrics for the Smartphone, and these include:

*Device security protection:  This includes not only the actual Smartphone hardware, but the information and the data which are in it, along with those fancy and hundreds types and kinds of applications;

*The surge in Mobile Commerce or mCommerce:  Given that people now use their Smartphone as their own laptop, this has also fueled the growth of online purchases over the wireless waves, and securing those connections;

*NFC:  A contactless form of Security technology;

*Those annoying passwords:  Yes, these are used very commonly here as well.  Trying to punch in hundreds of passwords and PIN Numbers on a small keypad is very cumbersome, and not too enticing;

*Existing Security technologies:  There are existing tools in place which are used to help protect the Smartphone.  But, these are fast becoming obsolete as the pace and the gap is being very quickly closed by the mindset of the ID thieves and hackers, thus the need for Multimodal Biometric Solutions.  In other words, having Security solutions which are meant for the here and now, and not the previous decade;

*Law enforcement, and military uses:  Given that the War On Terrorism seems to be endless and without success, and that law enforcement agencies across all levels (Federal, State, and Local) need more modern technology to keep up with the pace of crime, Biometrics will play a pivotal role here as well.

OK, so we can now see, based from this report, that Biometrics will be a cornerstone for the Smartphone, and it could very well be a lucrative market, for the Biometrics Vendors of all sorts and kinds.  Heck, $161 Million in revenue is sure a lot of money, and so is a growth of $130 Million, which is really quite staggering.  So, what will be the prime Biometric Technology of choice here??? 

Well, leave it to the tried and the true:  It is expected that it will be Fingerprint Recognition, and more specifically, it will be the embedded Fingerprint Biometric Solutions.  In my view, I really do not see any other Biometric Technology which could work as well.  For instance, Fingerprint Recognition is very easy to use, and is not as prone to Privacy Rights and Civil Liberties issues like the other Biometric Technologies are. 

Also, in comparison, it is not as expensive to develop, implement, and deploy.  Plus, the technology has evolved to the point where it has become extremely small and portable, and can fit into a Smartphone quite easily.  And seeing that there are more Fingerprint Recognition Biometric Vendors than there are of any other type, this group can clamor around together much more easily, and come up with the next generation of Biometric Solutions which can keep up with the cat and mouse game with the hackers and ID Theft thieves.  If there is a Biometric Technology which would come in next in line after Fingerprint Recognition, it would be Voice Recognition. 

Finally, for the longest time, I have been trying to find a quote which best summarizes the potential bubble in Biometrics, and I think I have finally found one:  “We believe a biometric groundswell is building. The market is currently slow; but pressure is growing. The conditions are ripe for rapid change; for biometrics to move from an ‘interesting concept’ to a 'must have' for all smart mobile devices (SMDs).”  (SOURCE:  http://www.biometricnewsportal.com/biometrics_news3.asp?articleid=266481&arttitle=Mobile phone biometric security market to increase dramatically). 

A Medical First

Medical News Again

OK, it is no news that Biometrics and all of the related technologies is making a predominant scene in the medical world, from the standpoint of Security.  As mentioned, much of this stems from Federal Government mandates and legislations, in the name of protecting the privacy rights of the patient.  While in theory this is a great approach, in my view, reality has actually dictated the opposite.  But, that is a different topic for a future Posting.  Today again, we visit the medical world, and the use of Biometrics. 

The setting is in Iowa, and the place of deployment is a hospital.  Here we go:  “Broadlawns Medical Center is reading palms in order to increase patient safety. As a part of Broadlawns' facilities modernization plan and commitment to be the Iowa leader in Electronic Medical Records implementation, the Medical Center will be using palm scanners to register and check-in patients. The new system, called PatientSecure, was unveiled to the public today at Broadlawns Medical Center as part of a week-long launch . . . Employees are being encouraged to enroll this week so when patients begin to use the system, hospital staff and employees are already familiar with the cutting edge technology. Reporters got a first look at the hardware and the process and experienced the ease of enrolling themselves. Broadlawns has made the system the cornerstone of its continuing efforts to make records secure. Thirty-five palm scanners are being installed . . . The palm scanners use a harmless near-infrared light to illuminate the vein pattern in a patient's hand and then uses a biometric template to correspond with the patient's medical records. Every person has a unique vein pattern that does not change so it will reduce the chances of identity theft or misidentification. The initial scan takes less than a minute to conduct and even less time with each visit following. The scan generates a number that corresponds with Broadlawns Medical Center’s electronic medical records for the patient. PatientSecure is considered 100 times more accurate than fingerprints and is so precise that even identical twins can be easily identified.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9084/). 

My Take

The first question that is probably popping out of your minds, is what is so special about this???  Well, normally, I wouldn’t have bothered about writing on this Press Release, but one major factor caught my eye:  This is the first Biometrics identity solution to be implemented by the State of Iowa, in a hospital setting.  But keep one very important thing in mind, this Biometric solution is not meant to protect patient files and data directly, rather it is being used to register and check in patients, specifically. 

This is a new one to me, because even when I have written about the use of Biometrics from the physical access entry standpoint in the medical world, it has been about medical and healthcare workers. This is the first time I have written about Biometrics being used strictly for patient purposes.  Second, when Biometrics is being used in this environment, the predominant Biometric Technology of choice has been Fingerprint Recognition, both from the logical and physical access entry standpoints. 

Again, this is the first time I have written about Vein Pattern Recognition being used in this fashion.  It really does not surprise me to see this, as Vein Pattern Recognition being used in this application.  After all, in my view, it is the Biometric Technology which is making some serious waves right now, and will continue to do so in the near term future.  Some of the technical details of this can be seen in the above quote.  Using Vein Pattern Recognition possesses a number of key advantages over Fingerprint Recognition, and they are as follows:

*Very quick registration process for the patients checking in;

*A very high rate of return and thus greatly diminished costs;

*If the patient is unable to enroll or verify themselves directly into the Vein Pattern Recognition devices, the appropriate medical records can be extracted on the patient, especially in the matter of a life and death situation;

*The hospital as described in this Posting delivers care to some patients who speak 40+ languages, so through the use of Vein Pattern Recognition, it is also hoped this will decrease language translation errors (this is a strong advantage, when it comes time to filling and dispensing Rx’s);

*Since Vein Pattern Recognition Technology is a non contact type of Biometric Technology, issues of hygiene (especially when we are talking about a medical environment) should not be an issue.

I think what is most important here (along with providing better medical care to patients) is that since this is the first type of application in Iowa, it will for sure set some milestones and precedents. 

Let’s see how quick the Biometrics Industry here in the United States will pick up on this lucrative market application, which has a strong social implication as well.

Education For All

4^th of July

Well, hey, how was everybody’s 4^th of July weekend out there???  I actually had a number of days off from work, which was really great.  So, as I was surfing the Internet today of what to write upon, I fancied upon a Press Release which talks about an education center which is devoted to Security education.  The details:  “Hirsch, a leading security systems manufacturer, has launched a new Learning Center training facility in Ismaning, Germany to support its growing activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Duplicating the physical design and course content of its award-winning Learning Center at Hirsch's headquarters in Santa Ana, California, the Ismaning facility offers hands-on classes for end-users and channel partners on Hirsch DIGI*TRAC access control hardware and Hirsch Velocity(TM) security management software . . . Hirsch's Learning Center in Santa Ana trains more than 1,000 students each year in its week-long interactive programs. A growing volume of business outside the U.S. and strong demand from customers and partners for Hirsch's Identity Management solutions prompted the opening of the new facility in Germany.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9071/). 

My Take

OK, at first thought, you might be thinking, what’s so great???  Yea, a learning center, there are tons of them worldwide?!?!?!  Yes, this is certainly true, but what struck a chord with me is that, to the best of my knowledge, nothing like this exists for the Biometrics Industry. Yes, there are many non profit organizations and other academic and government institutions related to Biometrics, but when was the last time you have heard of a learning center set up and run by a corporation from within the Biometrics Industry???  So how do I perceive one to look like???  Well, speaking in general terms, I would propose that this center be established in some major city, like Chicago, or another big place amongst the West or East coast. Further, this Biometrics training institute has to allow for the different Biometric Vendors to demonstrate and train their customers into the proper use of Biometrics.  Meaning, just one Vendor cannot assume control of the whole thing.  So this all comes down to the fact that this training center has to be set up and run by as many different Biometrics Vendors as possible.  Really, in a way, look at it a non profit center. True, there will be no money to be made from this directly, but one of the things I keep clamoring about is that education to the end user and the public (especially the American public) is what is key to the adoption of Biometrics.  And of course, adoption means revenue in the end, with the acquisition of goods and services.  So, this training institute does have a for profit motive, in an indirect way.  Given these economic times, I am not suggesting that the Biometrics Industry pour millions of dollars into this institution.  Really, given the real estate market, any building can be literally be bought on the cheap and taken over.  And getting IT equipment should not be too expensive either (and no, I am not advocating the use of outsourcing).  But what I am strong advocate for is that people worldwide (and yes, even the other Biometric Vendors in different countries as well) should have the availability to this Biometrics Training Institute I am envisioning.  Granted, a physical building cannot be all over the world all at the same time, but is this not what the cloud, and virtualization can do???  With this new technology, everybody from all over the world should be able to access this place.  And it is not just the Biometric Vendors which can partake in all of this.  Governments from all over the world can use this place to have collaborative meetings to discuss best practices about their own Biometric programs and initiatives (such as the e-Passport and the National ID Card), and the other non profit organizations can use this place to educate the millions worldwide about Biometrics, from a vendor and technology neutral standpoint.  I know I am speaking in generalities here, but watch for future Posting as to further detail onto this Biometrics Training Institute I am visualizing. Remember, this is will be one small step for mankind, one giant leap for the Biometrics Industry.

Security Breaches - The Government And Corporations

Major Organizations Hit

Well, it seems a lot lately that it is the bigger corporations and the government entities (does not matter if it is at the federal, state, or local level), are always prone and hit upon when it comes to Security threats and vulnerabilities.  Everyday in the news, you hear about something. 

Well, today, I have been asked by a major Biometrics Vendor known as “BIO-Key International, Inc.” to post a Press Release on some of these major threats and risks, with specific examples, which include:

*NATO;

* Northwest Community Credit Union, based out of California;

*Citigroup

Click the link below to download this Press Release, and see the Biometric Solutions which BIO-Key International offers to mitigate these Security breaches.

www.biometricnews.net/Bio-Key International/Press_Release_Security_Breach.pdf

Better Security For Windows

More Security For Windows

As you are all aware, Windows is the de facto standard for everything that is computer and IT based, although Linux is catching up with the lion’s share of the market as well.  But it still has far to go.  Whether you love it or hate it, Windows is here to stay.  And of course as you are all aware of also, Windows is also very notorious for its Security, and its associated updates and patches.  These are software fixes which are meant to correct any Security problems and issues, but very often these patches have Security vulnerabilities themselves which then require more patches on top of that. 

So, in the end, all you have is a bunch of Security patches which are hogging up valuable hard drive space, and totally clogging up processing power of your CPU.  But, there might be a solution to help possibly alleviate some of this.  A Biometrics Vendor known as “3M Cogent, Inc.” just announced the details of a new product launching. 

As usual, here are some of the details:  “3M Cogent BioTrust software uses facial and/or fingerprint recognition to logon to your PC and websites, replacing the traditional username and passwords that can be stolen or forgotten . . . After more than one year of successful use as a plug-in application for Hewlett-Packard professional laptops, 3M Cogent BioTrust software is now available as a standalone version that can be installed on laptop or desktop computers running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 and uses Internet Explorer 7, or higher. The 3M Cogent BioTrust software is available in over 30 languages to enhance user experience and convenience . . . The 3M Cogent BioTrust software console allows users to customize security level settings, enroll facial images, and manage Web Single-Sign-On (SSO) subscriptions. The software’s Password Manager functions as an automatic Web SSO for website logons. For example, if a user navigates to a secured website - such as Web mail, a social networking site or an online banking site - after entering their login details, the software will ask the user if they want to use biometric identification for future logins.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9072/). 

My Take

Well, really there is nothing different about this.  It is basically an SSO, which allows you to log into your computer with just a swipe of a fingerprint or an iris scan.  But, what makes this Biometrics solution different from the others is that it incorporates the use of Facial Recognition, and bundles that in with Fingerprint Recognition.  To be honest, most of the SSO’s I have written about just involve one or the other, not both.  And also, most of the SSO’s I have written about also use just Fingerprint Recognition or Iris Recognition. 

This is probably one of the very few times I have seen Facial Recognition being used in this type of application.  Perhaps the technology has evolved to that point where even just small facial images can be used now to log into your computer.  Another key benefit of this Biometrics solution is that it is highly adaptable across all of the major Windows platforms, as can be seen in the above quote.  It is available in some 30+ languages, and can even provide Security to the web browser as well, IE.  Now that is highly flexible.  In the end, this is all just meant to get rid of those hundreds of passwords we have remember each and every time.  And from what I can tell, even the customer has a choice if they want to sue Biometrics at all (see above quote also).  Truthfully, in the years I have been writing about Biometrics, this is probably the most powerful SSO I have come across. 

It seems to be flexible, and gives the customer the choice as to the types and kinds of Security thresholds they want to establish.  But remember, this is just one small part of a much bigger component in trying to combat Windows Security issues.  It seems like that that will never end.  It will always be a cat and mouse game.  But one thing I would like to see is that Windows also gives you a choice in when to install updates, by your Biometric recognition as well.  For the last couple of weeks or so, my laptop keeps rebooting at 3 AM with all of the Security updates. 

While it is a good thing that my laptop is being well protected (at least in theory), it is not so nice when the laptop makes all of those rebooting sounds when I am sound asleep.  Perhaps something could be created where these updates will install by the recognition of my finger, iris, or face, only when I want it to, and when I deem it is necessary . . . not what Microsoft deems as necessary.  After all, only a few days later, a new software patch or upgrade will come out to replace the Security holes in the preceding update  .  .  . ARGH!!!