Biometrics Security News and Information

The Hosted Way

Voice Biometrics

Two Biometric/Security Vendors known as “Prosodie” and “Persay, Ltd.” have just announced a collaboration in which both, together, will be offering a Voice Biometrics Solution, but it will be on a hosted platform.  Essentially, the former Vendor will be adopting and implementing the Voice Biometrics Technologies from the latter Vendor.

The anticipated Market Applications for this Biometrics Solution is expected to be in the areas of financial services (such as placing brokerage trades, transferring money from one account to another, etc.) and for call centers.

Here are some more details:  “ “Voice authentication is much more than just a technology". Said François Chaffard, Prosodie’s Strategic Marketing Manager. "When fully integrated in a voice application, it offers a wide range of possibilities to increase the customer satisfaction. We will be using PerSay’s Voice Biometrics technology to enhance security by providing strong, multi-factor authentication, in our voice services as well as to smooth customer identification process by enabling our customers to use simple passwords instead of cumbersome and easily forgettable PINs. We see significant potential for voice-based authentication in the banking and money transfer services arenas".”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7449/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

In the past I have written a couple of Postings with regards to Voice Biometrics, and especially its role as a hosted application.  On a much macro level, I think offering Biometric Hosting Services, in a manner which closely parallels web hosting and e-mail hosting, could be a great avenue for Biometrics as well as the Biometrics Vendor to grow into.

For instance, in today’s economy, the smaller to medium sized businesses are trying to keep with ways to improve their Security, both from a physical and logical standpoint.  But, cost is a major obstacle, especially in Biometric Systems, when more than one point of entry or more than one computer needs to be fortified. 

The Biometric Hosted way could be a strong potential in these kinds of circumstances.  For example, all the customer has to do is purchase the Biometric Hardware.  All of the software, databases, network connectivity, storage of Biometric Information and Data, the transactions which occur between the Biometric Templates would reside with the ISP (or maybe in this case, would “Biometric Hosting Provider” [“BHP”] be a more appropriate term???). 

All the customer would be responsible is making sure that their employees are enrolled properly into the Biometric System.  The customer would be able to choose and purchase the Biometric Hosting Plan which works best for them, just like a web hosting or e-mail hosting plan.

However, as good as this idea sounds, there will be several major obstacles which will impede its quick adoption, especially here in the United States.  The biggest one will be Privacy Rights once again, and having the Biometric Information and Data, as well as the Biometric Templates outsourced and stored to a third party. 

But look at it from this perspective:  When a business owner purchases a web hosting plan and creates an online store to go with it, he or she is already submitting private and confidential data by providing credit card information for billing purposes, as well as the confidential data of their customers whom shop at their online store.  All of this data is stored at a third party, namely the ISP.  So why should people “freak out” by having their Biometric Templates stored in the same manner???

In terms of technical issues, I am sure there will be some, but the biggest one that comes to my thinking right now as I am writing this Posting,  is the level of network connectivity between the ISP (or the “BHP”] and the customer.  Obviously, very quick Biometric Template processing times and transactions have to occur over the Internet.

Anybody out there have any thoughts or suggestions about the future of the “Biometric Hosting Provider”???

Source for this Posting:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7449/

Your Veins

A New Product

Ok, I was going to write about this on Monday, but China overtook the news, and I promised I would write about this topic later in the week.  So, here it is:

Two Biometric/Security Vendors known as “Sagem Securite” and “Hitachi” have, together, just announced a new type of Multimodal Biometric Solution, which utilizes both Vein Pattern Recognition and Fingerprint Recognition.  This Product is called “Finger VP”.

Some of the details:  “This new device combines Hitachi's Finger Vein imaging (VeinID) to detect the pattern of blood vessels under the skin, and Sagem Sécurité’s fingerprint identification technology (Morpho). It is the only multi-modal device capable of simultaneously capturing and processing two sets of biometric data and can be used either for one-to-one or one-to-many verification . . . FINGER VP is designed to be used either standalone or integrated into a vast range of end-user devices, e.g. access control terminals, ATM, mobile devices for identity checks and secure payments.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7440/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

I have written about Vein Pattern Recognition before, but it was from the standpoint of examining it from the palm area of one’s hand.  This is the first time I have come across anything which measures the pattern of the veins in the fingertip area.

This just shows how much Biometrics is advancing, and probably the next major trend will be in seeing Biometric Devices which are so small and much more powerful, they will literally be able to fit in your pocket, or even wallet or purse.  It’s really amazing to see how this trend correlates strongly with the Cell Phone.  Growing up, I remember seeing Cell Phones as big as the landlines are. 

I also think this type of Multimodal Biometric Solution would work great for such items as the National ID Card, and the e-Passport, where small size, durability, and portability, become critical features in order to insure an effective deployment.  As much of a critic as I have been about the Driver’s License, something like this could work well here also.

I am also curious to see how this type of product leads to Research and Development into examining the unique pattern of blood vessels in other areas of the body.  Currently, except for this, and the Vein Recognition for the palm, the only other Biometric Technology which examines the unique features of blood vessel patterns is Retinal Recognition.

Source for this Posting:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7440/

The Fear Amongst Americans

Results Of A Survey

A Biometrics/Security Vendor has just announced results and findings from its security measure gauge, known as the “Unisys Security Index”.  This is a study conducted twice a year, and measures people’s attitudes and concern levels with regards to various types of Security issues.

Here are some of the major findings:

*A majority of respondents (Americans) have a very strong distrust for the Federal Government and the Financial Institutions with regards to privacy of personal information and data.  For example, only 22% and 29% of the respondents trust the former and latter, respectively;

*65% of the respondents are very concerned about Identity Theft;

*Close to half of the respondents (42%) have serious worries about the Security of the Online/Internet Transactions they conduct;

*Surprisingly, a majority of respondents are willing to use Biometrics as a means of Verification and/or Identification.  Specifically, 93% and 79% of the respondents are willing to use Fingerprint Recognition and Iris Recognition, respectively;

*There is division between the concern about the computer and network Security related issues, for example, 40% of respondents are very concerned about these types of threats and risks, whereas a quarter of the respondents were not concerned about these types of issues at all;

*About one third of the respondents have serious concerns and reservations about their own personal safety;

*The level of income amongst the respondents also plays a key role in agreeing to submission of individual Biometric information and data.  For example, those respondents with an income level of greater than $75,000 per year are more willing to submit Biometric information and data than those with a smaller income level.

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Overall, this study found that the level for the concern of Security is at a moderate level.  As thoughts about the economy seem to be improving (I have serious doubts on this one, but this is not a political blog site), the perception from Security threats and risks posed to the Financial Sector earlier this year are now shifting to a more macro level, such as the overall level of Security in the United States, and another outbreak of the swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus.

I am not surprised with the lack of trust and faith in the Federal Government and the various Financial Institutions with regards to the safeguarding of the private information and data.  Also, the increased level of the fear of ID Theft, is no surprise to me either, as the pace of hacking and attacks seem to outstrip the pace of Security professionals just trying to keep with it all.

But what does surprise me is the increased level of the interest in the use of Biometrics.  Of particular interest to me is the majority interest in the use of Iris Recognition, which in my opinion, still has issues of Privacy Rights to be overcome yet. 

It seems that the lack of Interoperability Standards and a common IT Infrastructure from which to leverage Biometrics to the public is still a huge barrier to entry.  For example, “ . . . the widespread use of biometrics in daily transactions with governments, financial or retail institutions . . . Adoption of interoperable identity management systems and an investment in shared infrastructure would hasten widespread use of biometrics . . .” (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7444/).

Another finding from this study which really piqued my interest is the correlation between level of income and the willingness to share individual Biometric Information and Data.  I have never seen a finding like this one before, and I think it could have significant impacts into the future with regards to the acquisition and adoption of Biometric Technology. 

I think much more research needs to be done in this area, especially on the part of the various Biometric Vendors, as this will greatly affect their Research and Development efforts into new Biometric Products and Solutions.  Also, this finding is of great importance, especially as money and finances are becoming of paramount importance in today’s economy.

Perhaps a reason for this correlation between income and willingness could be based upon the fact that people with more disposable income and savings have more resources at hand to protect themselves in case they, in the unfortunate instance, become a victim of ID Theft or related Security risk.

Source for this Posting:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7444/

The Most Populous Country

The e-Passport Revisited Again Today

I was going to write a Posting today about a new type of Biometrics Product-it’s a new Multimodal Solution which incorporates Vein Pattern Recognition and Fingerprint Recognition, and is supposedly the first type of this kind to be available in the marketplace.

But instead, I found another news story which I thought had larger scale ramifications.  Ok, here it goes.  A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “NXP” has just announced that it has been selected by the Chinese Government to form the backbone of its e-Passport Infrastructure.

Here are the details:  “NXP today announced that its SmartMX security chip has been chosen by the Chinese government to power the country’s first ePassport scheme. Utilizing the latest developments in cryptography and security to protect the chip at both hardware and software level, NXP’s portfolio of SmartMX products enables data to be securely stored on the passport, creating an even stronger link between the document and its owner.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7439/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Ok, you may be wondering why I picked this news story over the new Biometric product.  Well, there are a number of reasons.  First, China is the most populous country in the world, with India following behind a very close second.  So whatever these two countries do with regards to the e-Passport will have great ramifications, especially anything having to do with China.

Second, this is a major move for the Chinese Government as well as for the people of China-this is the first time an e-Passport has been introduced (or for that matter even anything remotely like this).

Third, the rollout for the e-Passport in China will be massive, in comparison to the other countries I have written about this year.  For instance, there are some 30+ million passport holders in China, and the rollout is expected to happen starting in 2010. 

Fourth, significant deployments are expected in later years as well..  For example, “ . . . substantial roll-out volumes of ePassports is expected in the coming years.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7439/).  So massive and quick, to say the least.

Fifth, from what I can surmise, I think the Chinese Government is planning to eliminate all traditional forms of the paper passport, and replace every one with the new e-Passport.

So when the most populous country in the world comes out with news (and not just about outsourcing or floating their exchange rate) relating to Security, yes, I think it is very important. 

Stay tuned for the new Multimodal product later this week.

Source for this Posting:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7439/

The e-Passport In The United States: Where Is It???

The e-Passport Several Thousand Miles Away

On Wednesday of this week, I wrote about the National ID Card being implemented in Angola.  Well, it is time to travel some 1,000+ plus or so miles to the north and a little bit to the west, as we land in the country of Georgia.  It is located near Turkey and Russia.

Two Biometric/Security Vendors known as “SAFE ID Solutions AG” (based out of Germany), and “Cognitec Systems GmbH” (also based out of Germany) have both made significant technological and Biometric milestones in Georgia for the implementation of its e-Passport.  The former has provided the over arching Biometric Infrastructure, and the latter has provided the Facial Recognition aspect for the Georgian e-Passport.

Here are some details:  “Within a very short timeframe of only 3 months, this project has been implemented by SAFE ID Solutions AG, a German based security solutions provider who specializes in electronic ID document issuance and control processes. SAFE ID Solutions AG was responsible for the delivery, installation and integration of various biometric equipment and software for capturing electronic signatures, fingerprints, face recognition, as well as technology for certification and document verification purposes. Specifically for this project, SAFE ID formed a consortium with German based Cognitec Systems GmbH who in turn delivered the face recognition component of the solution.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7435/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Apparently, this is just the first phase of the e-Passport rollout for Georgia.  It is anticipated that by 2010 and beyond, the e-Passport will be in full force for the Georgian citizens.

Granted, it has been some time since there have been a lot of developments with regards to the e-Passport (at least to my knowledge), but it seems like the there has been a lot of developments now just happening in this part of the world, and the Middle East.  For instance, I was just reading something about Kuwait and its National ID Card system. 

Notice the trend here:  It’s the smaller countries in size when compared to the European countries and the United States which seem to be a lot more engaged and proactive about implementing their own version of the e-Passport.

Logic would dictate that the reverse would happen, given the economic and technological stature of the European countries and the United States when compared to the rest of the world.  In fact, as much as I have been keeping my eyes and ears open about the e-Passport development here in the United States, I have not heard anything.

Could it be perhaps buried in the sea of legislation that is occupying the Hill right now???  My guess is that this is probably the reason.  We have the technology to implement a great and effective system for an e-Passport, but once again, government bureaucracy is getting in the way.

Hello, where is the United States in being at the forefront for the e-Passport???

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7435/

To Outsource Or Not??? That Is The Question

The New Windows Operating System

Yes, we all use Windows and its related software applications on our computers, wireless devices, corporate networks, intranets, extranets, the Internet, blah, blah, blah.  But, have you all heard about the new Windows OS which is due out???  Well, its called “Windows 7” and what makes this different is the Biometric component it contains, known as the “Windows Biometric Framework”, or “WBF” for short.

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “UPEK, Inc.” has just announced that it has launched a software solution which is designed for the WBF.  This solution is called “Protector Suite 2009”.  This solution can be used with any Fingerprint Sensor which is compatible with the WBF (I am assuming this means that other Vendor’s Fingerprint Readers which are compatible as well to the WBF will be able to work this solution), is also compatible with IE 8, Firefox 3.5, as well as Vista and XP.

Here are some more details:  “Protector Suite 2009 works with fingerprint sensors in computers and peripherals to protect users from identity theft and to make it easier to access personal information such as password-protected web accounts. Computer users can simply use their finger instead of memorizing and typing passwords to:

* Logon to Windows
* Access password-protected websites and applications
* Encrypt sensitive files and folders
* Shop online
* Launch favorite applications
* Switch between user accounts
* For businesses, protect access to PCs and corporate networks with pre-boot authentication and multi-factor authentication e.g. RSA SecurID.  Protector Suite 2009’s newly redesigned user-friendly interface makes it easy to create, save, organize and use safe passwords on websites and to eliminate the headache of trying to keep track of passwords and not being able to login to websites.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7430/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

The field of Biometrics has been traditionally driven by hardware devices of all sorts.  Just recently, we are seeing a solid growth in the software application development front in Biometrics.  With the introduction of Windows 7 soon in the marketplace, I think the demand and growth of various software based, Biometric solutions will rapidly pop up. 

Since this is still a growth area in Biometrics, I wonder what kind of business implications this will have for the long term.  For example, could there be growth in smaller sized software companies which specifically focus on software development for Biometrics???  In today’s economic climate, will this mean that businesses and organizations will outsource their Biometric software needs to places like India or China in order to cut costs???  Will the boom in Biometric software development drive the industry to developing a set of software standards and best practices for developers???

Just some things to think about.  As for me, I am much more interested in the outsourcing issue.  As one can probably tell, I am not a big fan of it.  True, you can control costs very easily, but one cannot guarantee the quality of the software code which is developed.  I

 take the long term view:  I would rather pay a higher price now for software development, but at least I will know the quality assurance will be there, and also, there is a good chance that the developers who developed the software code will still be around to provide for enhancements and further modifications down the road, if the need arises.

Suppose you do outsource your Biometric software development work?  You are working with another company that is literally tens and thousands of miles away, with no guarantees that they will be around.  And, if they disappear, all of the software code will be have to rewritten and redesigned, adding further costs.

So, I can see this becoming a hot topic down the road in the Biometrics World:  To outsource software development or not.

I would much rather see Biometric software development happen here in the United States, giving our software developers here a chance to do quality work.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7430/

National ID Card In Africa

Angola And It’s Launch

Angola, a country in Africa, has just announced the launch of its National ID Card.  The new National ID Card was rolled out in Luanda (this is the capital of Angola, it’s located right on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and is the major point of Commerce for Angola), and further deployment is expected to occur in the other provinces in the country as well, during the rest of this month (October, 2009).

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “LaserCard Corporation” played a key role in Angola’s National ID Card infrastructure.  Here are some details:  “LaserCard is the provider of the innovative credential which includes optical security media. The secure, wallet-size ID cards, which store personal and biometric identification, will be issued to Angolan citizens nationwide.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7419/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Angola is the first African country (probably even the very few ones I have written about), which to my knowledge, is the first to launch a solid National ID Card Program.  It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.  Of particular interest to me are the Privacy Rights Issues, and citizen acceptance of the National ID Card.

I am not familiar with the culture of Angola, but I have not heard of any major Privacy Rights Issues come up.

If the rollout goes as planned, hopefully, this will be a model for other countries to glean ideas off of as they are planning or coming close to rolling out their National ID Card.

Source for this Posting:  http://www.findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7419/

The Hare And The Tortoise

Healthcare Once Again

Well, we keep hearing it over and over again:  Healthcare Reform, a Federal Government Plan, Insurance Companies need to cut back costs, blah, blah, blah, etc.  But however, there is one segment in the Healthcare Industry which seems to be moving at warp speed than the politicians themselves.  These are the Security Vendors providing Biometric and Security Solutions to the various, numerous, and many types of Healthcare Providers.

One such example of this is a Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “Applied Technology Holdings, Inc.”  They have just announced they have been awarded a Patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for how Biometric and other related Information and Data are collected and analyzed.

Here are some of the details:  “The granted patent relates to low cost motion sensor technology attached to a body, and data storage and retrieval systems to collect body motion and biometric data wirelessly . . . Some industries that will immediately benefit from the company's technology are Physical Rehabilitation and Home Patient care through Telemedicine. The healthcare industry is planning for telemedicine and remote collection of patient data for electronic health monitoring, to be used as a tool to reduce costs and improve efficiencies.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7418/).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

In all of my Postings about Biometrics in the Healthcare industry, this is the first time I have come across anything like this:  Collecting Biometric Information and Data wirelessly.  While I am sure this is not a new concept, I think it has tremendous potential, especially for the Healthcare Workers who have to travel a lot, log and collect data about their patients, and transmit the data back to the Healthcare Provider.

Hopefully this translates into reduced costs, and in turn, leads to the ultimate reduction in our medical premium bills.  I think at this point, any reduced costs in anything medically related will eventually translate to lower costs for all of us.  Obviously, we won’t feel any cost reductions immediately, it will take a very long time, given how messed up the entire Healthcare System is here in the United States.

This, actually could be an interesting turn of events:  increased spending in Security Technology leading to reduced costs in our premiums.  Hmm, I never ever really looked at that way before.  Also, the wireless capture of Biometric Information and Data could even spawn further technological innovation in Biometrics and Security in general.

And, as the politicians are still hammering out the details of the Healthcare Reform Bill, it will be the Biometrics/Security Vendors who will be literally light years ahead of the Legislators.  Much later down the road, there will probably have to be more Legislation passed addressing the Security concerns for the Healthcare Industry, much in the same way Sarbanes Oxley was passed a few years ago to address the corporate corruption scandals.  But, the Legislators will never be able to keep up.

This could be classified as the race between the Hare (the Biometrics/Security Vendors) and the Tortoise (the politicians).

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7418/

The Comingling Of Data

Where To Store Biometric Data

When we think of Biometric Devices, we often think of the actual Hardware which is involved-such as the Fingerprint Scanner or the Iris Scanner.  But, and as I have written about before, software development for Biometrics is becoming especially important, and even more crucial is the database design which is involved.  This is so, because it the database in which the Biometric Templates and other sorts of Biometric Information and Data reside.

Well, apparently in the United Kingdom, it is becoming a hot debate-where to store the Biometric Templates, and in which type of database.  There has been much talk about implementing the Biometric Information and Data into what is known as the “Customer Information Service Database”, or “CIS” for short.

For example, “Storing personal biometric data on a database which is accessible to 140,000 users would have spelled disaster for the UK public. It would present an open invitation to anybody wanting to impersonate the IDs of millions of people.”  (SOURCE:  http://www.biometricnewsportal.com/biometrics_news3.asp?articleid=263756&arttitle=Storing%20personal%20biometric%20data%20on%20a%20CIS%20database%20could%20spell%20disaster%20for%20the%20UK%20public).

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

There was limited information from the source where I got this, but from what I can infer, it seems like there is serious discussion in the UK about comingling the Biometric Information and Data with a Public Database. 

Even at first thought when I read this material is that why on earth would anybody want to mix private and public data together?  It just makes no sense.  Here in the United States, it would be like storing Social Security Numbers (the private information) with street addresses and names of people (the public information) into a common, public database.

Well, there has been strong disdain to this discussed approach in the United Kingdom, and there have been calls to place the Biometric Information and Data into a separate database:  “What is needed if the ID card scheme is to work, is firstly, a belt and braces approach. Storing citizens’ biometric data in a separate place to other personal information, i.e. not on the CIS . . .”  (SOURCE:  http://www.biometricnewsportal.com/biometrics_news3.asp?articleid=263756&arttitle=Storing%20personal%20biometric%20data%20on%20a%20CIS%20database%20could%20spell%20disaster%20for%20the%20UK%20public).

As software development becomes even more and more important in Biometrics, it will be even more crucial to have good database design practices and to ensure the end user’s private data is being stored in a place which is separate and has strong control mechanisms attached to it.  Obviously, this is a given in any type of software development, but it will become even more crucial in Biometric Databases. 

After all, we are dealing with other people’s private information even if it is converted into a mathematical file and no actual physiological or biological images are stored.  As if Biometrics is not controversial enough, there is no need to fan the flames on another related controversy: The comingling of private and public data.

Source for this Posting:  http://www.biometricnewsportal.com/biometrics_news3.asp?articleid=263756&arttitle=Storing%20personal%20biometric%20data%20on%20a%20CIS%20database%20could%20spell%20disaster%20for%20the%20UK%20public

Good 'Ole American Business

Private Sector Coming Making A Comeback

A Biometrics/Security Vendor known as “Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc.” has just announced it has received work orders in Security valued up to $6.6 Million.  Specifically, its Public Safety and Security Division will be doing the work, which will range from Video Surveillance all the way to Biometrics.

Here are the details:  “The security work includes video surveillance including analytics, access control, biometrics and other security related elements as specified by Kratos customers . . . Included in these new business awards is security system work for the United States Department of Defense, an International Petroleum and Petrochemical provider, and large multi national security related organizations. Additionally, Kratos received a contract to provide access control and security systems to a large industrial manufacturing organization involved in the transportation industry.”  (SOURCE:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7414/)

Final Thoughts On Today’s Posting

Ever since this spring and into summer, it seemed like the Federal Government was doling out all of the lucrative Security Contracts.  I wrote about this quite a bit, and kept wondering when the private sector would step in and do its own buying and contract awarding for Biometrics and other types of Security Solutions.

Well, it seems like it could finally be happening.  True, the value of the Security Contracts awarded by the Federal Government is much, much larger than $6.6 Million, but based upon this Posting, it is good to see that the private sector is slowly inching towards to awarding Security Contracts and purchasing Security Solutions. 

While there is no doubt that industries and commerce of all types have suffered as a result of this Global Recession, it appears like (although I have not seen actual statistics, I am just going by my hunch with what I have written about), Biometrics has not suffered as much, and seems to continue on its upward, steady climb of growth.

And think about it . . . these are organizations giving work to an American Company!!!!  No outsourcing!!!

Yep, this is good ‘ole American Commerce at work.  Hope it comes back soon enough and is here to stay.

Source for this Posting:  http://findbiometrics.com/industry-news/i/7414/