* How vendors and developers are using biometrics to authenticate users of computer systems
Last week I wrote about the newest technology behind using biometrics (specifically fingerprints) as a means for identity verification. This week I’ll cover some of the latest ways that hardware and software vendors and application developers are using this technology to authenticate users of computer systems. Using biometrics for authentication is a growing trend as the technology becomes more reliable and the need for multifactor authentication increases sharply.
All of the solutions and companies I’m mentioning here were part of the 2007 Digital Identity Showcase hosted by UPEK and Pay By Touch in mid June. Read last week’s newsletter for information about the underlying technology.
* Banking – Technology Credit Union (Tech CU) is in the heart of Silicon Valley. Many of its customers work for high tech firms, so you’d expect the credit union to use sophisticated technology to verify customers’ identities when they conduct in-bank transactions. It does. Tech CU customers swipe a finger on a scanner when they come into a branch office to conduct a transaction. Barbara Cure, IT project manager, says it takes only minutes to initially enroll a customer into the application, and seconds to use each time after that. This speeds up customer service and gets people on their way faster.
Cure says the implementation was a Board level decision, and a wise one at that: since implementing the solution four years ago, cases of fraud appear to have dropped. “The solution is optional for most customers, but at least half of our customers use it,” says Cure. The only customers required to use fingerprint authentication are those who are conducting large wire transfers.
ID Matrixx is the systems integrator that helped Tech CU implement its biometrics solution. Guri Walia of ID Matrixx says his clients are choosing biometric identification systems to reduce identity theft, provide convenience and speed of service, eliminate human errors, and reduce costs. “The cost is really coming down on biometrics,” says Walia, “and this is leading many companies to try it.”
* Schools – Systems integrator identiMetrics has made a name for itself by implementing biometric authentication in school cafeterias. When students buy their lunch, they access their personal payment account by swiping a finger on a biometric scanner. This process makes the line move faster, and it prevents students from using accounts that don’t belong to them. Best of all, students don’t need to remember a password or carry a card or token to access their lunch money; all they need is a finger.
Tom Dunphy of identiMetrics says it’s easy to add biometrics to the front end of existing security applications. “If your current authentication method works with a barcode, a swipe card or a PIN, you can easily add biometrics,” says Dunphy. He has installed systems for schools, health clubs, retail outlets and healthcare facilities. Some of the business drivers for his customers are convenience for customers, retail loss prevention, and liability mitigation.
* Retail – Imagine how convenient it would be to run into your local grocery store, grab a few items, go to the self-checkout line, scan the items and then scan your finger to pay. You’d be in and out in no time. A service called Pay By Touch Wallet has brought that scenario to reality. Pay By Touch retail clients allow their shoppers to enroll in the program by capturing their fingerprint templates into a security authentication system, and linking their identity to their bank account or a credit card. This brings a new level of convenience to retail customer service.
The Pay By Touch SmartShop service provides customized coupons for shoppers when they enter the store. Shoppers scan a finger and the kiosk prints coupons based on their personal profile. Since they get the coupons upon store entry, they can use them immediately during that shopping trip. This service delivers personalized savings to the customer and creates customer loyalty for the store.
Another application from Pay By Touch is called TrueMe, which adds multifactor authentication to any Web site you need to log in to. So, for example, you can add extra security to your online banking session, or for purchasing movie tickets over the Web. There are no user names or passwords to remember.
* Enterprise applications – realtime North America provides a solution that delivers user and transaction authentication in SAP. This ensures that people cannot share passwords to conduct activities in your enterprise application and can reduce internal data breaches.
* Secure data storage – There have been too many instances where private or sensitive data has been compromised because someone lost a laptop PC containing unencrypted data. Apricorn is taking aim at the problem with its new Aegis Bio encrypted biometric hard drive. The external drive plugs into a USB port on a PC. The built-in fingerprint scanner and security chip allow you to prove your identity before gaining access to the encrypted data on the drive. The small device is quite portable, so you can take it with you between the office and home, or on trips as needed. Best of all, there’s no fear of having your data compromised if the drive is lost or stolen.
The range of applications for biometric identification is getting broader every day. There’s clearly a need to increase security with all computer-based transactions, and companies are finding innovative ways to put authentication at the tip of your finger.
