anyone use biometerics ?

[IB107]

ive heard about it on the news.. just curious if anyone has exerienced its use yet

[N. A. Corbier]

I have seen simple biometrics deployed in time clock devices. Fingerprint scanners to prevent buddy-sign-in. This was for the workers at a factory. We used the time tested method of "call in" on a phone to the patrol supervisor.

[Jackhole]

We use it in high-security access situations. I know there's about 10 around campus, but the only one I know the exact location of is our evidence room.

[ycaso77]

A few extremely sensitive areas around our campus. Both a palm reader and an optical scanner for a double layer. Works quite well, only problem is keeping the screens clean.

[OccamsRazor]

In the Immigration office I've been stationed at a few times, but only 2 spots...Verifying the ID of asylum applicants, and the gun vault door.

[SgtUSMC8541]

My daughters daycare uses palm readers with pin code at all entrances and exits. I have a few sites that have used both palm readers as well and id card/finger readers for secure areas. One site has over 30. I like them. They do a good job of keeping areas secure, as well as letting people know that the area is secured. It stops simple card theft or loss, from compromising a secure area.

I have been looking into the time clock/sign in with finger ID for my larger sites use. I have see them in Staples. Any comments on a brand?

[Mall Director]

Yes actually. I invested in a biometric lock for the Office door, one for the sensative items door, and of course the time clock uses similiar systems. It is very efficient and secure!

[Relay Magic]

You might want to really research biometerics before you buy. We are using a card/finger reader solution with our card access system, but there are a lot of down falls.

1) All finger print info is stored in the card/finger reader itself and does not integrate into our access system. This means we have to maintain two different databases.

2) If someone use a approved card, but doesn't have the correct finger the reader isn't smart enough to tell the access system that somone is trying to gain access to the reader.

3) They only work best indoors. We have a few mounted in outdoor enclosures outside, but they don't work so well.

4) If your going to install more than one, make sure that you run a dataloop between all readers so you can update them from one location, other wise you will have to take a laptop around and program each one everytime you make a change.

[Jackhole]

You might want to really research biometerics before you buy. We are using a card/finger reader solution with our card access system, but there are a lot of down falls.

1) All finger print info is stored in the card/finger reader itself and does not integrate into our access system. This means we have to maintain two different databases.

2) If someone use a approved card, but doesn't have the correct finger the reader isn't smart enough to tell the access system that somone is trying to gain access to the reader.

3) They only work best indoors. We have a few mounted in outdoor enclosures outside, but they don't work so well.

4) If your going to install more than one, make sure that you run a dataloop between all readers so you can update them from one location, other wise you will have to take a laptop around and program each one everytime you make a change.

These sound like a downfalls of your particular system. We maintain a central database of biometric data that all readers are linked to, our system does alert the Dispatcher when a card is scanned but the wrong fingerprint is read and the company we use also makes a great unit for outdoor use.

[Mr. Security]

Finger Print Scanner

Is it possible to beach this security feature by making a silicone impression from the fingerprint of the authorized individual left behind on a soda can, etc.?

For security reasons, feel free to PM me if you know the answer.

[Greg McConnell]

I personally know a lot of people who are resisting biometrics (for reasons ranging from technical difficulties to doomsday predictions). However, it looks like biometrics are here to stay.

[SIW Editor]

Biometrics is indeed here to stay. But the adoption hasn't happened in the U.S. as fast as elsewhere.... One thing that I'm keenly aware of is that Americans have a very different sense of privacy than people in other countries. Biometrics is finding intial acceptance in more consumer applications. In Japan it's in ATMs. In the U.S. it's popular for time/attendance functions. The other uses are coming....quickly...as prices drop and as more dealers and integrators become familiar with how to sell, install and service this technology. Get your fingerprints ready!

On a side note, the Registered Traveler program uses biometrics, and being that it puts biometrics in a key location like an airport, I think this program will be instrumental in driving biometrics usage and making the general public comfortable with this technology.

Geoff Kohl

[N. A. Corbier]

Indeed, the sense of privacy is different.

Wired reported on License Plate Recongition systems "coming to Commercial market," which we all know is silly as its been in the private sector the same amount of time as it has in the public sector.

The "social media revolution" site Digg.com is full of people equating this "coming to the Commercial market" as a "very dangerous precident" and generally fearing for their privacy.

Stories made up such as, "Your boss will be able to know what car you drive, or how long you've been gone for lunch," were rampant in the comments on the story. In other words, this is another tool "the man" will use to catch people at doing things they shouldn't be doing, but aren't illegal.

When Albertsons grocery stores unveiled their biometrics based payment system for their grocery stores, Slashdot and Digg were rampant with comments such as, "There's nothing stopping them from taking our fingerprint information and giving it to {The NSA/The Government/The Police/Bush}."

Even when it was noted that the system uses a one-way hash based off the very cheap fingerprint reader, many still believed that the government could take the data and deduce their full fingerprint from it, and use it against them in some kind of plot to control them.

These are normally highly intelligent people here. I've watched slashdot posters talk about Quantum Mechanics and IT security issues. Then they go nuts over this stuff.

[Mr. Security]

Is it possible to beach this security feature by making a silicone impression from the fingerprint of the authorized individual left behind on a soda can, etc.?

For security reasons, feel free to PM me if you know the answer.

I watched a program recently that proved fingerprint scanners could be bypassed. As ycaso77 said, optical scanners can be used to supplement this technology. What's the old adage say? "Where there's a will there's a way."

[integrator97]

Mr. Security: I'd like to see that program on how they could be bypassed. Let me know if you can remember the name of the show and where you saw it, please.

None of the quality readers will be faked out by a copy of a print. For one thing, they can tell if it's a live finger or not. With Bioscrypt's, if you cut off a finger , you have a couple of minutes to use it, otherwise it won't work. So you might as well drag the poor guy down and force his finger on the reader.