Information security takes biometric technology route

In an increasingly global economy, the protection of information becomes an area of great concern for most companies and organisations. If they are to maintain competitive advantage in their markets, then the security of their information systems is critical.

Confidential customer data, intellectual property, and market and operational information are invaluable assets and constitute a risk that must be minimised. Conventional password systems are no longer secure enough. Their shortcomings are well documented: easily compromised or stolen, falling into the hands of outsiders or unauthorised staff, as well as being costly to administer and counter-productive.

"So companies are looking beyond password-based solutions for security and authentication. They want robust solutions that are simple for users and easy to implement while cost-effective to administer," says Dean Johnstone, national practice manager biometric solutions at Square One Solutions Group, an integrated IT solutions company listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange.

"The costs associated with maintaining and managing password systems and the need for higher, more robust security are influencing management decisions to adopt biometric solutions based on facial, fingerprint, iris pattern or voice recognition. Biometric technology requires little effort from system users and network administrators. It is also the only irrefutable authentication methodology."

To offer the South African market a full range of fit-for-purpose biometric system security solutions, Square One Solutions group has distribution agreements in place with international biometric software, middleware, hardware and solutions houses SAFlink and SecuGen, both of the US. SAFLink products are certified by Microsoft and in turn, Square One is a Microsoft Silver partner.

Square One Solutions Group is also the only South African authorised Platinum integrator for SAFlink. The SAFlink agreement enables Square One to provide complete biometric solutions designed and developed to meet specific client needs and integrate a wide range of biometric devices seamlessly to the Microsoft Active Directory, Novell e-directory and Computer Associates e-Trust directory network platforms.

Johnstone says SAFlink middleware products are based on open-system industry standards and enable organisations to install clear-cut access profiles for employees from the lowest to the highest levels using a variety of hardware and other devices.

SecuGen provides a range of advanced fingerprint biometric sensors for the desktop, including an OptiMouse with a fingerprint sensor and a screen saver that locks a computer and requires a fingerprint to release, programs to encrypt and decrypt data files using fingerprint recognition, as well as a system management program.

"We also have agreements for products from Certis, including ceramic chip scanners that use thermal sensors to measure the temperature between the ridges and valleys of the fingerprint, ensuring recognition of even damaged and worn fingerprints. They are also USB-compliant and self-cleansing."

Johnstone adds that for most organisations the control of internal access to information or to certain production or research areas is most critical. At the time that each employee's biometric sign-on is implemented, the access rights to company information and to physical areas is managed - not just as an add-on - but as an integrated part of the solution.

"The biometric sign-on permits each employee to have access only to the information they are cleared for within the overall database and a smart card linked to the biometric sign on controls their access to certain areas of the business. Each user of the database can be allocated specific rights and responsibilities according to their individual profile, position, experience and seniority. We can tailor-make the system to suit each company's particular requirements.

"Biometric credentials are virtually impossible to duplicate so they provide unprecedented levels of security at an implementation cost of about half the annual password management cost per user, meaning that companies benefit from a rapid return on initial investment."