Biometrics Security News and Information

An Intro To Magnetic Logic Unit Technology

Smart Card Update

Remember, yesterday’s posting where I was talking about Smart Cards???  Well, today, we visit the same topic to a different extent, with regards to the actual technology itself, not about any type of market research.  It is about two security vendors whom have come together to introduce a new kind of Smart Card technology called “Magnetic-Logic-Unit”. 

Here we go:  “Crocus Technology, a leading developer of magnetically enhanced semiconductors, and Morpho (Safran group), a leading supplier of identification, detection and e-document solutions, today announced an agreement to develop and commercialize the world's first smart card based on Crocus' Magnetic-Logic-Unit (MLU) technology . . . The secure microcontroller product will be compliant with the latest quality and security standards. Crocus' MLU, based on a revolutionary magnetics architecture, is a scalable evolution of its Thermally Assisted Switching™ (TAS) technology. MLU enables practical implementation of advanced logic and memory capabilities, a first for the industry. It is anticipated that the increased security, speed, reliability and cost efficiency offered by Crocus' MLU technology will provide significant advantages for Morpho's smart cards. Previous generations of smart card designs have been based on Flash memory technology, and this application of MLU is a first in the $20+ billion smart card and microcontroller semiconductor market segments . . . MLU technology offers significant advantages over competing memory technologies including low power usage, high speed, unlimited endurance (read and write cycles), inherent non-volatility, and provides a first-of-its-kind logic capability”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9362/).

My Take

Well, first let it be known that one of the vendors involved here is known as “Morpho”.  From a previous posting, I predicted that they have the potential to be the Microsoft of the Biometrics Industry.  And the fact they have come into this partnership agreement, it only furthers their boons to reach this acclaimed title even more.  Second, I am far from being an electrical engineer to understand all of this stuff. 

So after searching on Wikipedia for a plain old English definition of exactly what MLU technology is, here is what I found:  “This technology can be used to make ultra-secure functions such as smart cards, identity cards, SIM cards, and near-field communications (NFC) tamper-proof. The technology can operate at very high temperatures, making it useful in automotive and industrial electronics. MLU has the potential to replace a variety of other memory technologies such as SRAM, DRAM, NAND, NOR, and OTP.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9362/).

So, based upon this definition, one can just imagine the market possibilities with this new technology.  It seems like that there will be a much greater level of security, and work in some of the heaviest industries (as can be seen in the definition), especially for Time and Attendance applications, where Smart Cards are being used a lot more now, not only 110% identify the employees clocking in and clocking out, but to avoid the costly problem of buddy punching.  And from what it seems like, this MLU technology has the potential to replace the legacy and current Smart Card technologies. 

Hmm, and even operate at high temperatures.  That would be a great selling tool for market applications in geographic regions like the Middle East, where temperatures can well exceed 120 F (believe me, I have been there).  But probably the biggest boon here is that this MLU technology is the first of its kind for the Smart Card industry.  So, that is just another feather in the cap for Morpho.  While this is all good news of course, one of my biggest concerns and fears is that as this technology continues to evolve and develop into the future, that research and development in to making these technologies even more secure is of first priority.  Sure, market share, keeping up with the competition, and trying to capture new customer bases is very important for any business, but what is the good of it all, if the hackers can break through this technology, and launch a new, covert form of ID Theft??? 

Remember, the cat and mouse game just does not exist for Internet Security, it manifests itself where ever security issues are involved, even for the Smart Card Industry.  Given that it is a huge market (and is going to continue to grow very rapidly), is $20+ Billion, nobody wants to get a bad name here.  After all, lost revenue due to security breaches simply means lost business and lost customers.  Smart Cards and Biometrics are the wave of the future, so let us insure that they do not fall along the way of the security threats and breaches associated with E-Commerce. 

The United States: Land Of Plastic

Cards And More Cards

I have written about Smart Cards many a time on this blog site.  But to know to those of you who may not know too much about it, it is essentially a piece of plastic, just like a credit card.  But, it comes with one major difference.  It comes embedded with a memory chip which holds ton of information, and can be used for tons of applications, from shopping to travelling overseas, to just name a few.  Smart Cards are incorporated into an infrastructure of what is known as “Electronic Access Control Systems.” 

And according to a recent market research study, by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., this market is expected to boom in the near term.  Here are the details:  “GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on Electronic Access Control Systems. Global market for Electronic Access Control Systems (EACS) is projected to reach US$14.1 billion by 2017. The prolonged 2007-2009 recession, interestingly is expected to be a catalyst for growth as the financial pinch felt by employees and commoners alike can result in increased instances of theft, break-ins, shop-lifting and white-collar offences, thus throwing the focus back on effective, and efficient electronic security solutions such as the electronic access control systems . . . Controlling access and preventing unauthorized entry is the key to ensuring against theft, sabotage, and vandalism. And electronic access controls, in this regard, is an omnipresent requirement for people from all walks of life, including the common man, employees, business owners, and most importantly building owners. Rise in terrorist attacks, vandalism, campus violence, and the resulting need for personal safety and security at public places such as transits, city centers, educational institutions, as well as borders have been driving the installation of electronic security systems at these places and facilities for preventing unauthorized access, ensuring remote surveillance, recording and reporting unruly incidents, and identification of culprits. Although, the government sector continues to remain the largest end-use market for electronic security systems, generating a major portion of value sales for electronic security systems (ESS) market, commercial establishments and households have also been increasing their ESS implementations over the last few years, due to heightened perceived threat of criminal activity and terrorism.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9361/).

My Take

There are a few things which come across my mind as I read the above quote. First, I guess this is not extremely short term, as these projections go as far out as 2017.  But, hey even within this time frame, $14.1 Billion is still quite a bit of money, given the economic plight we are in here, and worldwide (especially Europe). 

Second, I am actually surprised to see this study focus upon the United States.  Most of the studies I have blogged about before have been about projections worldwide.  It is really encouraging to see that there is some demand now blossoming for this security technology in our own neighborhoods. 

Third, it has been claimed that the recession of 2008 took a big bite out of the growth of this market here in the US (and it could very well still be a factor, no doubt).  As a result, it is the Federal Government which has been the biggest customer of all things related to Smart Cards and Electronic Access Control.  But now, there are signs that the private sector is going to be picking up the demand as well as revenues.  It all comes down to the fact that all humans have a need to feel secure in their surroundings, no matter where they are at (in fact, it is a huge component of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs), and the exact need reasons can be seen in the above quote. 

Fourth, as discovered by this market research, it is the United States which will be the leader in the demand for electronic access control (which comes of a huge surprise to me, yet once again), followed by the Asian-Pacific Rim countries at a projected growth rate of 13.5%. 

Fifth, and much to my happiness, this market research has discovered that Biometrics will be a dominant player in this market space:  “Biometrics-Based Electronic Access Control Systems is the fastest growing product segment, waxing at a CAGR of about 13.1% over the analysis period. Future growth of biometrics in access control is forecast to stem from globalization, emerging economies, mobility, spurt in number of mobile devices and trusted access.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9361/). 

Again, this is really no huge surprise either, as Biometrics already plays a huge role in electronic access, especially at the level of Physical Access Entry.

High End Retail Theft

Christmas Shopping

Well, as I was eating a wonderful dinner at Anita’s house over the weekend, the first of the Christmas shopping commercials appeared. Heck, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!!!  You would think that the thoughts of Black Friday would appear first, but apparently not.  Given the state of the economy we are in, it will definitely be interesting to see how the retail season turns out.  From what I hear, it could very well be a toss up from fair to just downright miserable.  I think the latter will happen, in my view.  In fact, for myself, I really don’t plan on doing too much Christmas shopping.  I have something awesome planned for Anita, and I will be getting things for her family and my sister, as well.  Well, to give a clue (and hopefully she won’t be reading this), it is slightly on the higher end. 

And of course with all of this Christmas shopping and Black Friday, there will be long lines at the mall as well.  How can one avoid all of this frustration?  The easiest way is to probably just shop online, and have your gifts delivered to you.  In fact, I believe that there is even something called “Black Monday”, the weekend just after Black Friday, where you can really get some sweet, online deals.  But then there is another approach being undertaken by a Vendor known as “AVT, Inc.”. 

They are partnering up with a medical Vendor known as “MedBox” (this the same Vendor which has the self serving kiosks to dispense generic medicines, using Biometrics, I have written about these guys before):  “AVT, Inc. (formerly Automated Vending Technologies) has partnered with MedBox to provide a new line of Secure Automated Retailing Systems that feature MedBox's patented Biometric Fingerprint Recognition System . . . AVT worked with MedBox to integrate its patented identity verification system into automated prescription medicine dispensing machines. Pre-registration into a private database, which includes taking a fingerprint sample, is required before a person can use the machine. The MedBox system can accommodate a wide variety of medicines and dosages, and offers benefits to both the patrons that receive their medication though the machines as well as the pharmacies that utilize the technology. The patrons get quick and convenient access to their medication, while the pharmacies gain increased inventory awareness, unparalleled accuracy, and lower overhead costs . . . AVT is now using the licensed technology to create secure automated retailing solutions for companies that want to sell high-ticket items in a self-service automated environment . . . ”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9360/). 

My Take

So, as you can see, there is nothing magical here about what exactly is happening.  The medical Vendor as described above has had success using Biometrics for its self serve dispensing machines, and now the retail Vendor wants to take advantage of that and apply to it the retail world, and make the life of the customer easier.  Hey, I am all for that, who wouldn’t be???  Just go, get your stuff, avoid the crowds, and get out.  You could probably have your shopping done in just a matter of minutes. Now, this is fine if it is for what I call “normal” retail gift shopping. But, my biggest concern is that it is planned to be used for extremely high value retail products, such as a $65,000 necklace, and Rolex watches. 

Of course, Bioemtrics will be used, namely Fingerprint Recognition, in order to insure the validity of the purchaser, and to make sure that the actual transaction is legitimate.  But, what I envision here is a huge case, something with like clear plastic or a window, which will display the stuff, and the Fingerprint Sensor will be around it somewhere where the customer can complete the authentication process.  But, what is preventing somebody from literally taking something like a baseball bat, ramming it through the glass, and stealing the high value watch or necklace???  Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of Biometrics all together???  Perhaps this display case will be enhoused in an ultra secure building of sorts??? 

If this is the case, wouldn’t that deter the customer from buying a high value item, since they will be made to feel like a thief, with all of the security technology???  The illustration I am bringing out I guess is just a case of an old fashioned brute force attack versus all of the modern stuff.  And truly, the former will win out in the end. A baseball bat versus a Fingerprint Sensor, there is no competition there.  If it was me, and I had $65,000, I would rather walk down to Michigan Avenue in the city, go into a secure store, and buy the item.  I would much rather deal with people for something as large as this, rather than machines.  But hey, that is just me.

More Microsoft's Coming Up???

The Microsoft Of Biometrics?

You know, now that I have come to think about, for as long as I have been in IT, I have not heard of a lot about Microsoft lately too much in the news.  Except for my normal daily activities at work and for BiometricNews.net, the only new encounter I had with any Microsoft product was with Windows 7.  Last weekend, my beautiful fiancé Anita and I were looking for some apartment places to live in for after when we are married.  Well, we found one apartment complex we both liked very much, and decided to put a deposit down to be wait listed for a place.  Of course, the leasing director wanted copies of my most recent paystubs, and so, I was feverishly hunting for them online, at the employee portal. 

Then, when it came time to print them out, my hatred for Windows 7 already started and grew.  No need to get into all of the detail, but most of you out there probably know what I am talking about.  But, back from the digression, seriously, what’s the latest you have heard about Microsoft???  I remember them back in the day of the Internet, whenever any new server product came out, and of course, who can forget the time back earlier last decade when the Federal Government wanted to break them up into two or three smaller companies???  At this point, you may be wondering why I am bringing Microsoft up so much.  No, they are not a dominant player in the Biometrics Industry (except for their Windows Biometric Framework in Windows 7). 

But today, I came across a Press Release in which a Biometrics Vendor which in my view, has the potential to become the Microsoft of the Biometrics Industry.  Just recently, one of their technologies was approved by the Indian Government for use in the world’s largest Biometric project:  “MorphoTop, Morpho’s latest fingerprint image capture terminal has been officially certified for India’s unique identification (UID) program. The 3-year Certificate of Approval was issued by the Standardization, Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate for Government of India’s Department of Information Technology (DIT) and the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). The terminal has successfully passed all the required stringent tests and trials, confirming that it offers highest-level image quality for capturing fingerprints in less than 2 seconds . . . This achievement positions Morpho (Safran group) as a trusted end-to-end provider of world-class hardware and software solutions in the Aadhaar program. Aadhaar is the world’s largest biometric project designed to secure the identity of 1.2 billion residents of India.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9354/).

My Take

Well, I first have to admit that a verification/identification time of less than two seconds is pretty impressive.  And when we are talking about registering a population of over 1.3 billion, that is pretty damned incredible, in my opinion.  But let us look at this at a higher level.  Morpho is one of those companies I keep hearing about all the time.  I don’t hear as much about them for domestic applications as much as I do about their international applications, but even on this global scale, they are mammoth. 

And now that they have a leading role in the Indian project, their claim to fame will be staked even more.  Morpho is a huge company, composed of even smaller companies.  And in my opinion, if they keep being the number of provider in this project, their market dominance could very well surpass those of some of the larger Biometric Vendors out there.  Now, I am not saying that they will be the 800 pound gorilla in the entire industry.  But, they will be the 801 pound gorilla in the fingerprint recognition sector.  I have seen and read more about Morpho in this market space than I have seen any other Vendor. 

So, it will be interesting to see at year end, or even in the beginning of next year, what kind of international contracts they have been awarded (including domestic, here in the good ‘ole United States).  Hmm, maybe even an award can be conjured up called the “Microsoft of the Biometrics Industry”.  This will either resonate positive or negative connotations.  So, who wants to give out the first award here???

ID Theft In Israel

Theft of Data

Well, we all know that Identity Theft is a huge concern today.  From the moment we check our snail mail and throw all the junk away, from making online purchases, we are always concerned that something is going to happen.  But the problem is though, the effects of Identity Theft are not immediate.  Meaning, you will not come to find out the next day if you are a victim or not.  Rather, the effects of Identity Theft will be felt years later, when you least expect it.  And it is during the lag time, that the most damage will occur-without your knowledge.  And once you come to find out about your identity being stolen, you will have years of sorting out to do to see where the damage was. 

And worst, yet, though people and businesses seem to be sympathetic towards people whom have been victims of Identity Theft, it is ultimately up to you to prove your innocence.  And when doing so, the expenses of it will only proliferate, as most likely, you will need an attorney to clear your name.  In the end, it is a Cath-22:  You’re the victim, but in the end, you pay the price twice as much.  Identity Theft is one of things in which the hackers are coming up with new ways to steal your personal and confidential information.  But, at least in Corporate America, one of the most prevalent ways of stealing confidential data is through the hijacking of massive databases-something, although not done too often, can have severe repercussions.  But now apparently, it is not just here, this is a problem even overseas, and the latest country to make the news in this regard is Israel. 

Here are the details:  “Authorities in the Middle Eastern country announced the arrest on Monday of a suspect responsible for the massive data theft. He's a contract worker at the Israeli Welfare Ministry who was allegedly engaged in small-scale white collar crimes after-hours and who is accused of stealing Israel's primary national biometric database in 2006. He had access to the database, which is part of the country's population registry, through his office . . . The stolen database contained the name, date of birth, national identification number, and family members of 9 million Israelis, living and dead. More alarmingly, the database contained information on the birth parents of hundreds of thousands of adopted Israelis--including children--and detailed health information on individual citizens . . . Shortly after being fired from his job for unrelated offenses, the unnamed suspect began passing the database around to members of Israel's surprisingly numerous Hasidic Jewish criminal underworld.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.fastcompany.com/1790444/the-downside-of-biometrics-9-million-israelis-records-hacked).

My Take

So, as you can see, this is a problem which can happen at any time, any place, around the world.  And probably even the poorest of the poor countries are not immune to this either.  The database in question no doubt was a very large one-of over 9,000,000,000 records in it, of Israeli nationals. And as you can see from the above quote, this was an inside job-so really, can you trust???  In the end, especially in the business sector, employees are the weakest link-and are often the gravest Security threats to an organization-whether it is intentional or not.  This article refers to all of this data as “biometric”. 

In my view, in one sense, it is, because it deals with the private information and data of individuals.  But in the truest definition, it is really not Biometrics, because there are no Biometric Templates stored in the hijacked database.  But, this does bring up a big point.  As the world is now starting to use massive Biometric databases (examples are the AFIS database in the United States, and the databases which will store the massive amounts of Biometric Templates in the Indian project), what safety measures are being done to protect them-either from outside threats or inside jobs, like the case as described here???  The answer is a blunt and cold “nothing”. 

For example, “The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security have been less than forthcoming about efforts to secure the data contained in their respective biometric databases. However, a DHS privacy impact assessment conducted for the Coast Guard's “Biometrics at Sea” program found numerous privacy concerns and weak spots that required additional security. Both the FBI and Homeland Security's databases will retain decades' worth of personal information, photographs, and fingerprints.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.fastcompany.com/1790444/the-downside-of-biometrics-9-million-israelis-records-hacked). 

Sound scary enough???  I am sure that the risks and dangers posed to these Biometric databases are much graver than this quote.  In terms of Internet Security, there is this thing called the “cat and mouse game”.  Meaning, the hackers and thieves are always one step ahead of the Vendors, as they try to come out with new solutions.  But in the Biometrics Industry, this is so far has not been a problem, because of the lack of usage here in the United States. But as Biometrics becomes a maturing Security Technology, the cat and mouse game will exist here as well.  But, in my view, the Biometrics Industry can mitigate much of this game, by taking proactive steps now.

Blog Posting #800

Our 800^th Posting

Well, today marks a monumental occasion at BiometricNews.net.  As of today, we have hit 800 blog postings. Now, that is a ton of writing.  My trend normally has been to write at least one posting a day.  I have had plans on many occasions to write throughout the day.  But with working all day and planning a marriage, one posting a day is all about I have time for.  But don’t despair, I plan to, over time, write throughout the day, especially on some of the breaking news which is happening in our industry. 

And, along with Biometrics, I am planning to launch a new newsletter which deals specifically with Cryptography, and especially Bio Cryptography (which combines the two fields together-it is a new field, and quite exciting).  Heck, I may even start a blog site just on Cryptography.  So, to celebrate this momentous day, I am going to give honor and tribute to the industry with whom I have been involved with in the last 10 years.  I love this industry, and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.  It is truly a passion of mine. 

So, today, I would like to give some headlines of some Biometric Vendors who have passed important milestones, and won some recent awards.  So, here we go:

Voice Biometrics

A Biometrics Vendor known as “AGNITIO” has just won a major award:  “AGNITIO has won the Final of the Global security Challenge (GSC) contest in London. The GSC offers a $500,000 prize fund to the most innovative security startups and SMEs. Supported by US Government agency Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) and industry giant BAE Systems plc, GSC attracted more than 200 companies from 30 countries with unique technologies and great disruptive potential . . . This is a great recognition for Agnitio's team. With this award the jury also recognizes the power of Voice Biometrics as a technology that enables unique capabilities in the security space . . . The jury was impressed by the critical problems that a real Voice Biometric technology can solve, as opposed to the weak versions known today. With this award, Voice Biometric technology reaches maturity in the security space.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9353/).

Hey, half a million dollars is a lot of money, and there are a lot of things I can do with that kind of money (I would probably just save it, as I am a big saver).  But if anything, this award signifies the fact that Voice Biometrics will be a dominant technology very soon.  In fact, it already is in the wireless world, where verification and authentication can take place in just a matter of seconds.  And, it is one of those technologies which can be used for virtually any type/kind of application.

The 1,000,000 Mark

Well, I thought 800 was ground breaking, but one million sounds a lot better:  “Morpho (Safran group), the world leader in biometric technology, has delivered its millionth biometric device to STJ Electronics Pvt. Ltd., an Indian company specialized in attendance and access management solutions . . . Morpho’s Millionth Biometric Device Trophy was awarded to Mr Binoj Cherian, Director of STJ Electronics Pvt. Ltd. by François Perrachon, Senior VP, Sales Development at Morpho, during a ceremony which took place at Biometrics London on October 19.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9352/). 

To me, this comes of no surprise.  This Biometrics is a HUGE one, and has its market space mostly in the fingerprint recognition realm of things.  And in fact, it is a huge supplier (and perhaps even the biggest) to what is deemed as the world’s largest Biometric project, which is based in India.  So, again, it comes to no further surprise that this 1,000,000^th device was given to an Indian IT Vendor. 

And also, I just recently wrote a Posting as to how this Biometrics Vendor is providing a Biometrics e-gate infrastructure to the Australian government. So, from the land down under all the way to the world’s largest population (well, actually 2^nd largest) that some huge market share. 

Stay tuned for the 801^st blog posting on Monday!!!

The View From The United States

Americans View On Security

As you all know, I am a proponent for the customer, especially when it comes to Biometrics.  Even in my own tech writing business, I try to deliver the best quality information I can to my readers and subscribers, even through this blog site.  But, what do customers, especially us Americans really feel about security?  No better way than to ask them is question directly. 

A major security vendor known as “Unisys” just announced the results from a bi yearly poll they conduct.  This particular piece of research is known as the “Unisys Security Index”, and in it, some 1,000+ American consumers were asked about their thoughts and views about security, and even Biometrics.  Here are some of the key findings:

*Almost 75% claim they would stop doing business with an organization if it experienced a major security breach (such as Identity Theft);

*In the event of a major security mishap (type of breach or geographic location was not mentioned):

                -->87% would change their password;

                -->76% would close down their actual account;

                -->53% would take legal action;

*65% of the respondents would publicly expose a corporation if they knew a security breach was taking place;

*With regards to the use of Biometrics as a security measure:

                -->60% said they would use it airports;

                -->76% they would use Biometrics for conducting online and financial transactions (when it comes to their bank, financial institution, etc.)

                -->53% would use it for claiming government entitlements and benefits;

*In terms of overseas, this same study was conducted in the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Brazil.  Respectively, 82% said they would close down their accounts; 62% would publicly disclose the issue; and 86% claimed they would take some legal action.

*The results of this survey follow the support the overall trend that Identity Theft, in general, is a major concern;

*21.3% of the respondents said that they would use Biometrics for securing their identity on Social Media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.  This finding strongly correlates the thesis made in the white paper I talked about in yesterday’s posting, in which there seems to be a strong disconnect between of the effects of Biometrics on Social Media. 

In my view, I think the last finding shows that there might be something unearthing about the trend of Biometrics with Social Media.  True, there have been many findings and studies which show mixed results on the use of Biometrics, but this is one distinct, negative  trend that I am noticing. 

I am sure that there will be much more research done on this topic into the future, as Social Media sites continue to explode, and people keep getting concerned about Security.  And, I for one, even plan to do my own research on this negative correlation, and perhaps, even come up with my own white paper.  Stay tuned for more!!!

The Fear Of Social Media: Linking Offline and Online Identities

The World Of Social Media

As we all know, this world is coming together as one, in many more ways than we will ever realize.  It just not manifests itself in terms of international trade and the effects of whom has what debt (as we are seeing the obvious effects the Greek debt is having on our financial institutions [the gigantic swings, even as we see it today]), but it also comes in the way we communicate.  No, I am not talking about Smartphones, or calling my relatives in India via Skype.  It all comes now down to the use of social media, and how quickly and easily we can share our daily lives with another in just a matter of seconds. 

Yea, this is all great and has its benefits, especially given that it is all free and such.  But it also comes with a severe price:  Our own security. While efforts have been made by the owners of social media tools and site to offer enhanced security, we still hear of breaches almost every day, from Identity Theft to Facebook accounts being hacked into, in an effort to launch Trojan Horse attacks and worms/viruses.  Well, now there apparently seems to be a convergence now between Biometrics and the use of the various social media tools. 

To be honest, I have not see a lot of use of Biometrics with social media per se, but I came across a whitepaper of sorts which pits Facial Recognition against social media, the dangers it can pose.  It is written by Dr. Joseph Attick of the International Biometrics Industry Association (or IBIA for short), and in this white paper, he describes at some detail of what he sees how Biometrics will play out in the realm of social media.  As mentioned, he discusses specifically about Facial Recognition.  He touches on three areas primarily, and the following are some excerpts from the white paper:

The introduction:

“Simply stated, an unprecedented convergence of several technological developments – a perfect storm – is creating an environment where new kinds of face recognition applications that threaten privacy on a very large scale could emerge over the next decade. Furthermore we see that the control of these applications can no longer be solely in the hands of the industry that created the technology, but will require the active cooperation of social media providers and the IT industry to ensure the continued protection of our reasonable expectations of privacy, without crippling legitimate use of this powerful technology.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/articles/i/9335/). 

Here are his three areas where he sees the negative aspects of social media and Facial Recognition:

#1:

“The net result is that the assemblage of identification databases today is a much simpler process and the potential size of these databases is much larger than what could have been imagined in the days before we had Google and the cloud—the days when face recognition databases were painstakingly built by adding individuals one at a time. By far, this is the first and the most critical factor that has changed from a decade ago.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/articles/i/9335/).

#2:

“Face recognition algorithms, as independently measured by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), have improved by at least two orders of magnitude over the last decade and have gained many orders of magnitude in speed. This means that today’s state-of-the-art algorithms are at least 100 times more accurate and could be a million times faster than they were ten years ago and are now within the realm where they can function by utilizing every-day photographs. With continuing technological improvements, the clouds of a perfect storm begin to darken.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/articles/i/9335/). 

#3:

“When face recognition was invented, digital cameras were uncommon; inputting images into computers was not seamless, often requiring multiple manual steps. Today billions of high quality digital cameras are in the hands of consumers. They are found in iPhones, Blackberries, and other mobile devices, and in the ubiquitous snap-and-shoot digital cameras.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/articles/i/9335/).

So as you can see, this is rather complex subject, one which will take time to really review and give some points on.  I intend to fully do this, and I will offer my viewpoints in much more detail in a future posting.  After all, this is a topic which is of prime importance, especially to the Biometrics Industry.  After all both subjects (the second being the use of social media) both are hot button topics with regards to privacy rights. But, the author is right in one aspect: 

Technology, not just Biometrics is evolving at a very rapid clip, and with that, standards and oversight are being forgotten about.  This is something which could go very wrong if it is not observed and corrected.  As he points out, given the evolution of the cloud, social media, and Biometrics, this poses the great storm for the “the linking of online and offline identities.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/articles/i/9335/).  My deeper thoughts on this, especially this last sentence, coming very soon.

Bring On The Holiday Cheer

Thanksgiving, Coming Up

Well, as another weekend has flown by (BTW, I competed in yet another Taekwondo tournament), it’s hardly to believe that today is already November 1^st.  Heck, in just a few weeks, it will time for a well earned Thanksgiving vacation, and who can forget the mayhem of Black Friday?   Then in another month, it’s time for Christmas, and yet another week off.  Then it’s time for 2012, and then my wedding year, and honeymoon (which will be sunny Florida, for sure).  As I eluded to in a previous posting from about a week ago or so, the common theme here is travel, whether it is by land or by air (or sea, for that matter). 

Thanksgiving will probably the busiest and the worst time for this type of travel, especially by air.  Passengers and travelers will want to zoom in and out of the airports, to be with their loved ones.  Waiting in long lines will of course not be tolerated.  So in this effort, two Biometric Vendors, known as “AOptix Technologies, Inc.”, and “Human Recognition Systems, Ltd.” have teamed up to deploy an Iris Recognition infrastructure at an airport in the UK, specifically, Gatwick Airport. 

Here are the details:  “AOptix Technologies, Inc., (AOptix) (www.aoptix.com), a leading edge developer of innovative iris recognition solutions, and Human Recognition Systems Ltd. (HRS), the UK market leader in identity management today announced their successful implementation integrating the AOptix InSight VM iris recognition system into 34 automated e-Gates at the Gatwick Airport South Terminal. AOptix was selected by HRS for their ability to bring a time saving, enhanced passenger experience to the world’s busiest single-runway airport . . . The AOptix-HRS approach delivers a highly accurate match of passenger to boarding pass on a remarkably consistent basis. Designed for ease of use and high throughput, the system is intended to create secure, customer friendly passage into the international departure lounge area where passengers can shop, dine, and relax prior to boarding their flights.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9332/).

My Take

Hmm, my first thought at reading the press release was that I never knew Gatwick is a single runway airport.  Believe it or not, I am a huge airport and aviation buff, and I love to watch YouTube videos of planes taking off and landing at Gatwick.  From what I saw, it seemed like a huge airport to me, with more than just runway.  OK, back to the issue at hand.  Iris Recognition is no stranger to security at the major international airports, or for the airlines for that matter.  The aviation industry likes this Biometric Technology because it is very reliable, and is extremely rich in unique data and information, and where airport security is concerned, Iris Recognition is probably one of the best technologies to use. 

When it was first deployed, it was used as 1:1 system, meaning each and every passenger had to be verified.  Although it was quick, it was still pretty time consuming in the grand scheme of things.  Iris Recognition has now evolved to the point where it can track many people all at once, even when they are moving or walking at a pretty large distance.  In fact, I remember first writing about this breakthrough just last year.  The benefits of this are very obvious, and there is no need to rehash them, as it can be seen as clear as day in the above quote. 

But one also needs statistics to back up these claims as well, so here we go:  “Already passengers are spending on average less than five minutes in security . . . With our new spacious preparation area and 19 security lanes, some of which are designed to assist families with young children and premium travellers, the new technology will help increase the efficiency of the security operation and provide a better service.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/9332/).  But heck, think about this even in another way. 

As passengers can be verified and boarded quickly, hopefully this will mean less aggravation for air traffic control as they navigate these huge machines onto just 1 runway.  Hopefully, in the end, it means quicker taxi times and takeoff times, and heck, even less burnt fuel.  Hmm, who thought of the benefits of Biometrics in this regard for an airport???  Believe me, the effects of the benefits of Biometrics will be felt this upcoming holiday season, as it is forecasted to be one of the busiest yet. 

Eventually, and I think it may even be the case, that Facial Recognition is also being used (or going to be used) in conjunction with Iris Recognition, thus making for a very powerful multimodal solution.  And, Facial Recognition has also advanced to the point where it can confirm the identity of people walking and moving at a distance.  So when you are at the airport, try to take notice of all of this, as it will take notice of you!!!