For Security & Risk Professionals

Best Practices: Implementing Strong Authentication In Your Enterprise

Kill Two Birds With One Token

by Bill Nagel, July 23, 2009

The adoption of strong multifactor authentication (MFA) is on the rise. It's often the first port of call on the journey to a fuller identity and access management implementation; MFA directly addresses the password problem, which is a well-known and . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

A US National ID Begins To Take Root

WHTI, EDL, And REAL ID

by Geoffrey Turner, July 21, 2008

In the aftermath of the Al Qaeda attacks on 9/11, the US government realized that the lack of effective identity credentials for use in domestic air travel was a contributing factor in the attacks' effectiveness. Several initiatives have since been launched . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

Market Overview: Strong Authentication For Enterprises In 2008

Securing The Doors To Your IT Environment

by Bill Nagel, July 16, 2008

Security professionals have long known that passwords are no longer sufficient to act as the sole means of gatekeeping access to enterprise network and data resources. Increasingly, they're putting that knowledge into action: More than half of the enterprises . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

Biometrics: State Of The Art And Future Implications

by Geoffrey Turner, May 12, 2008

Biometrics has matured to the point where several technologies have been internationally standardized and incorporated into major international and national identity verification implementations across both the public and private sectors. Because these . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

Biometrics: Beginning To Fulfill Its Promise

by Geoffrey Turner, Bill Nagel, February 26, 2008

Public uncertainty about biometrics' impact on privacy and civil liberties has long kept the technology from realizing its full potential. However, these concerns have stemmed primarily from an incomplete understanding of the technology and a mistrust . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Alternative Payments at the Point of Sale

Assessing the Progress of Fingerprint Biometrics

by Edward Kountz, July 3, 2007

Seeking greater customer loyalty and lower-cost payment options, merchants are deploying innovative point-of-service (POS) payment options, including in-store fingerprint biometric payment readers and loyalty kiosks.

For Security & Risk Professionals

What CISOs Can Learn From The US Government's E-Passport And HSPD-12 Initiatives

by Geoffrey Turner, February 6, 2007

As part of a United Nations standardization effort, the US and 14 other countries have begun issuing e-passports, which add contactless integrated circuit chips (ICs) containing biometric data on the passport holders to their standard passports. The US . . .

Biometric-Based E-Wallets? Think Again

by Penny Gillespie, December 30, 2003

Only those merchants with strong brand names that have credit relationships with highly educated customers are likely to be successful at enticing customers to use biometric-based e-wallets.

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Voice Biometrics: Suspicious Business or Valuable Tool?

by Elizabeth Herrell, May 20, 2003

Once this technology is understood and customer acceptance is demonstrated, the payback for using voice biometrics becomes apparent.

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Speech Verification Not Yet Ready for Applications That Require Top-Level Security

by Elizabeth Herrell, July 18, 2002

Although voice recognition works well for internal functions that require some measure of security, such as password reset and directory access, it should not be deployed in situations that require 100 percent accuracy.

Paying With RFID, Smart Cards, And Biometrics

by James Crawford, Kate Delhagen, Amy Dash, Gregory N. Flemming, Ph.D., July 16, 2002

With debit and stored-value cards already stretching the capabilities of today's POS systems, retailers must also plan for three new payment options beginning to appear at registers. But before launching expensive upgrades, retailers must look beyond . . .

Keep an Eye on Biometrics Regulations

by Jan Sundgren, June 26, 2002

Regulatory issues do not appear to have been a major factor in biometrics deployments so far, but the possibility of these issues arising should not be discounted.

Facing Up to Biometric Shortcomings

by Steve Hunt, Jan Sundgren, June 24, 2002

Biometric technology suffers many of the shortcomings of passwords as an authentication type — and it costs more. Passwords will remain the most cost-effective authentication preference.

Setback for Biometric Technologies

by Jan Sundgren, June 10, 2002

A Japanese researcher has achieved great success fooling fingerprint readers with a finger made of gelatin. And a German team of journalists also managed to trick a facial recognition system and an iris scanner, using video and pictures.

For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Voice Biometrics Provides Strong Tool for Increasing Security

by Elizabeth Herrell, November 5, 2001

Improvements in the accuracy of voice verification, which can now deliver more than 99 percent reliability, make speech an effective tool for preventing unauthorized entry to secure areas or in identifying callers making financial transactions.