|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| May 11, 2006
|
|
 |
 |
| |
Dear readers,
The Biometrics Info provides you with the latest news on biometrics, smartcards and network security. We provide you with this free service 2 or 3 times a week depending on the news available.
We provide a RSS feed for daily use. During the week all the news will be available through the RSS feed with a weekly summary on friday through the Biometrics Info e-zine.
We carefully selected the newsarticles for this Biometrics Info and we hope you appreciate this edition.
Enjoy reading.
Reinier M. van der Drift
BioXS
English
The RFID Hacking Underground
They can steal your smartcard, lift your passport, jack your car, even clone the chip in your arm. And you won't feel a thing. 5 tales from the RFID-hacking underground.
James Van Bokkelen is about to be robbed. A wealthy software entrepreneur, Van Bokkelen will be the latest victim of some punk with a laptop. But this won't be an email scam or bank account hack. A skinny 23-year-old named Jonathan Westhues plans to use a cheap, homemade USB device to swipe the office key out of Van Bokkelen's back pocket.
Library drops scan plan: Software woes cited in Naperville decision to not use fingerprints
(Chicago Tribune (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) May 6--A year after announcing its libraries would be among the first in the nation to require a fingerprint scan to use public computers, Naperville's library system has canceled the controversial project. Library officials insisted Friday the plan was scuttled because of software compatibility problems and not because of objections raised by civil libertarians over privacy rights. "It was strictly a technical issue," said Library Board President Stephanie Cassioppi.
Fingertip scans point the way to a safer night out
At the entrance to The Beach Café Bar, skimpily clad girls and young men in designer shirts make their way past two bouncers. But, after gaining approval, there is one more hurdle to negotiate as they make their way to the bar and the dance floor. They are invited to present their right index finger so the tip can be scanned.
This is nightclubbing 21st century-style. The recently opened Beach Café Bar is one of six late-night drinking and dancing venues in the Somerset town of Yeovil that is pioneering a scheme aimed at making clubbing safer.
The Daily Telegraph
Date: 0206-05-07 |
New rules to screen workers at ports: Proposed Homeland Security guidelines would require IDs and background checks. They would affect about 15,000 people in Hampton Roads.
Anyone convicted of robbery, drug distribution or gun possession charges within the past seven years would be among those banned from working at ports under proposed new guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security.
The department on Wednesday revealed its proposal for a new identification card and background check system for 750,000 transportation workers nationally, including about 15,000 in Hampton Roads.
Validity Sensors Introduces Smaller Next-Generation Durable Fingerprint Sensor; The Durable, Rugged and Reliable VFS161 Sensor is Made for Integration in PC Market Devices Including Laptops and Peripherals
FOSTER CITY, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- May 11, 2006 -- Validity Sensors -- a leading developer of biometric fingerprint sensors -- today announced its latest next-generation durable fingerprint sensor product, the VFS161.
Validity's new smaller-footprint VFS161 sensor, with its ultra-flexible z-height, easily integrates into PC market devices such as consumer and enterprise notebooks and peripherals. Users can easily swipe their finger over an extremely durable plastic surface for password replacement, authentication, identification, securing important data and more. The VFS161 maintains the durability, thinness and flexibility advantages of Validity's VFS131 sensor while providing a high-security 12mm wide image at 508 DPI with true 8 bits of grayscale. The sensor also offers optional support for fingerprint template storage via flash, a security feature that keeps users' fingerprint data off of the PC hard drive.
CNet review: HP Compaq nx7400
The economical Compaq nx7400 brings a brand-new form factor to HP's corporate laptop family. Lighter than the nc8230, the nx7400 combines the benefits of a big 15.4-inch wide screen and Intel Core Duo processors with a low price (configurations start at $749). Missing from this equation are some higher-end features, such as biometric security (a fingerprint sensor), dedicated graphics cards, and wireless WAN, found on more expensive portables. But for employees who use their portables to perform mostly basic office tasks and who don't handle highly sensitive data, the HP Compaq nx7400 provides a decent combination of performance, battery life, and features.
Lock Out Wi-Fi Users With Fingerprint Reader
On Monday, Silex Technology introduced a biometric attachment for a Wi-Fi router that is designed to require fingerprint identification before a user is permitted access to the network.
The Silex Bio-NetGuard will be sold by the company's network of resellers, although Silex has not settled on a suggested price. A Silex spokesman said Tuesday that the company will likely sell the Bio-NetGuard for about $499. The Silex Bio-NetGuard is a standalone device that includes a Fujitsu MBF200 fingerprint sensor. Touching the sensor triggers the device, which scans its database of 27,000 fingerprint 'minutiae', the key points of a fingerprint that uniquely identify it.
PC Magazine
Date: 2006-05-09 |
ASUS Adds Biometric Feature to UMPC, R2H
TORONTO, May 3 -- Bioscrypt announced today that ASUSTeK has selected VeriSoft as part of its new line of biometric enabled notebook computers. VeriSoft provides ASUSTeK notebooks with data encryption, support for multi-factor authentication and Single Sign-On functionality. The Bioscrypt VeriSoft product will be privately labelled as ASUSteK Security Protect Manager (ASPM).
Hardwarezone
Date: 2006-05-09 |
Biometrics fits gymnasium group
in brief Australian-made biometric technology is being used by a fitness centre group to track participation in corporate health programs.
Multimedia fingerprint devices are being used at CareTrac gymnasiums across regional New South Wales to help companies measure employee involvement in corporate health programs and tailor billing accordingly.
Troy Grogan, chief executive officer of CareTrac and workplace health consulting company AlphaOne, said the devices encouraged healthier workplaces by giving employee members a "mobile membership".
ZDNet Australia
Date: 2006-05-09 |
Registered Traveler Program Goes Nationwide
Increased airport security since 9/11 has led to a frustrating flying experience for many travelers. While few deny the need for safeguards, frequent flyers desperately want a means to avoid the lines and the hassle these security measures have created. Enter the Registered Traveler program, initiated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), but now operated by the private sector. From the initial launch in Orlando, a handful of other airports have signed on and creative ways to expand the issuance opportunities are coming to fruition.
SecureIDNews
Date: 2006-05-08 |
Zvetco Biometrics Announces P4000 Panel Mount Fingerprint USB Reader for Kiosks, Point of Sale and Physical Access Security
ORLANDO, Fla., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Best-in-class fingerprint authentication hardware manufacturer and network security solution provider Zvetco Biometrics today announced a new Panel-mount version of it's Verifi(TM) P4000 fingerprint reader. The rugged and waterproof Verifi P4000 Panel Mount fingerprint reader can be mounted on any flat panel, with no cable in sight. Like the P4000, it enables positive user authentication and access control with a single finger touch. Designed for reliability and performance, the P4000 Panel Mount withstands the rigors of high volume use, heavy cleaning or exposure to the elements, and tamper-resistance.
Feds consider smart card options, Different choices for implementation balance security, cost and privacy
As the deadline for the deployment of smart cards looms, federal officials are still exploring the technology options they can use to make their agencies secure.
Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 requires all agencies to begin supplying their workforces with secure identity cards by Oct. 27. The National Institute of Standards and Technology set guidelines for the information and technology those cards should contain in Federal Information Processing Standard 201 and Special Publication 800-76.
As a result, deciding what technology the smart cards should use may not be so difficult.
Voiceprint Protection to Fight 21st Century Fraud
VoxGen has launched an identification & verification (ID&V) product for the financial services sector, underlining the potential applications of voice verification biometrics — a market projected to be worth over $100 million for the first time next year.
The voice banking protection system, which enables a user to record a voiceprint via an automated telephone service and use it to access their bank account details, is demonstrated on VoxGen’s site at www.voxgen.com/demos.
According to recent Frost & Sullivan research on the world voice verification biometrics market, revenues are set to rocket to a predicted $533.7 million by 2011. The financial vertical was dominant for voice biometrics implementations in 2005.
CRM Today
Date: 2006-05-08 |
Most Australians keen to try smart cards: Visa survey
(Asia In Focus Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)SYDNEY, May 11 Asia in Focus - Most Australians are keen to try smart card technology, according to research by credit card company VISA INTERNATIONAL. According to the research, 62 per cent of consumers are interested in using smart cards, while 70 per cent believe they will become an important part of everyday life.
* The research comes as the federal government prepares to spend $1.1 billion on rolling out smart card technology for health and welfare payments by 2010.
Vending machines to conquer more of UAE
(Gulf News Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Dubai: The use of vending machines is growing 10 to 15 per cent annually in the UAE a sector which is also witnessing the entry of hi-tech next-generation machines.
"Kiosks will play a key role in the success of business models in the retail sector. More and more firms are now learning to build the business case for self-service," said Girish Dabrai, managing director of Global Links, organisers of the Middle East Vending and Kiosk Expo 2006, to be held at Madinat Jumeirah on May 20 and 21.
"The natural extension of this will be the incorporation of technologies like Wi-Fi, radio frequency identification and biometrics," he said.
Minister flags business access to 'smart card' data
Federal Human Services Minister Joe Hockey has signalled that private sector companies like banks and supermarkets may be given access to information stored on the Government's "smart card".
The Government is calling for tenders from private sector organisations to advise on the implementation of the card.
It is also recruiting a senior public servant to lead the project after the former head of the task force, James Kelaher, resigned this week.
The new smart card is designed to replace a number of health and welfare cards used by Australians to access government services.
Mr Hockey will not rule out giving the private sector access to people's personal information stored on the card.
"So a blanket policy saying that the private sector can have no access to the card, or a blanket policy saying that only certain government agencies can have access, or a blanket policy saying that individuals can or cannot change the information, I think is crazy at this particular point of time," he said.
ABC Online News
Date: 2006-05-11 |
DHS Issues Proposed Rulemakings for Transportation Worker Identification Credential and Merchant Mariner Credential
WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard today took another step toward the implementation of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) by approving proposed regulations for a biometric-based identification credential for port workers. The notice of proposed rulemaking will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days and lays out specific details on the program. The public will have forty-five days to comment and four public meetings will be hosted by TSA and Coast Guard to solicit public input.
"TWIC is designed to ensure that individuals posing a security threat do not gain access to our nation's ports," said Assistant Secretary Kip Hawley of TSA. "Today's proposed rulemaking represents a significant milestone towards putting TWIC on the fast track."
Passfaces releases Windows compliant password system
Passfaces Corporation, the only provider of cognometric authentication solutions today announced its newest product, Passfaces for Windows Enterprise v3.0 which provides a turnkey authentication solution for Microsoft Windows networks.
Deutsch
Sicherheit mit Biometrie – fp-eLock System
(Wien, Mai 2006) Biometrix Int. ( www.biometrix.at ) bietet mit dem fp-eLock System eine alltagstaugliche Zutrittskontrolle für private und gewerbliche Anwendungen. Das fp-eLock System ist die wohl bequemste und sicherste Alternative zu Schlüsseln, Passwörtern, Zugangscodes und Karten.
Mit seinem Funktionsumfang, seiner Speicherkapazität von 9000 Benutzern, und der Ereignisaufzeichnung, sowie den umfassenden Konfigurationsmöglichkeiten stellt das fp-eLock System eine überaus kostengünstige und sicher funktionierende Alternative zu anderen Systemen dar.
Das fp-eLock System besteht aus der Sensor-Einheit im spritzwasserdichten IP65 Kunststoffgehäuse für den ungesicherten Bereich und der Controller-Einheit mit Relaisausgängen im Metallgehäuse für die Montage im gesicherten Bereich.
Francais
Passeports : l'Imprimerie nationale a gagné
Afin de doter les Français de passeports biométriques, le ministre de l'Intérieur a lancé des consultations auprès des sociétés Oberthur et Thales Security Systems et de l'Imprimerie nationale pour la passation d'un contrat de fourniture de passeports électroniques sécurisés, de systèmes de suivi et de gestion des clefs. Fin 2005, le ministre a rejeté les offres des deux dernières sociétés, retenant de fait celle d'Oberthur (1). Le comité central d'entreprise de l'Imprimerie nationale a alors saisi le juge administratif des référés afin qu'il suspende cette décision sur le fondement de l'article L. 521-1 du Code de justice administrative. Cet article prévoit en effet que le juge des référés peut agir de la sorte lorsqu'il est fait état d'un doute sérieux quant à la légalité de la décision.
Les Echos
Date: 2006-05-11 |
Nederlands
Diamant ingezet als middel voor netwerkbeveiliging
Onderzoekers van de universiteit van Melbourne hebben een methode ontdekt waarbij diamanten worden ingezet om netwerkverkeer te beveiligen. De methode is gebaseerd op kwantumcryptografie en de diamant wordt gebruikt om precies één foton te produceren voor het versturen van informatie. Wanneer dit foton onderweg verdwijnt weten de zender en ontvanger dat er mogelijk informatie is onderschept door een derde partij. Momenteel wordt voor het maken van een met kwantumcryptografie beveiligde verbinding vaak een laser gebruikt met een filter waarmee bij benadering één foton geproduceerd wordt. Wanneer het niet zeker is of er precies één foton is geproduceerd is het ook niet zeker of er onderweg geen informatie gelekt is naar een luistervink. De onderzoekers hopen binnen drie jaar een prototype te ontwikkelen en de techniek verder te ontwikkelen voor een marktintroductie.
|
|
Advertisements
|
|
|
