SecureData, a member of the JSE-listed ERP.com Group and the southern African distributor for Precise Biometrics, today announced its smart card solution, Precise Match-On-Card, in a version compliant with the US Federal government standard, American National Standards Institute (ANSI 378).
The standard is an important requirement in implementing the US Federal Government Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and the closely aligned Federal Information Processing Standards 201 (FIPS 201). By September this year all US government agencies must initiate the deployment of smart card based ID cards, the so-called PIV (personal identity verification) cards.
Precise Biometrics is bringing interoperability and privacy together with the release of a Precise Match-on-Card version of the ANSI 378 minutia template. This is the required template format for PIV-cards for hundreds of thousands of US Federal government employees and contractors under HSPD-12.
The US Federal requirements for the standard ANSI 378 are designed to ensure that all employees and contractors are able to use their badges for identification and access in all government facilities. However, many organisations and government employees are concerned with privacy and security of the template and therefore Precise Biometrics is offering a perfect Match-on-Card solution that meets ANSI 378.
"When the strength and security of Precise Match-on-Card technology is combined with the open interoperability of the standard ANSI 378, the result is a powerful privacy-enhancing solution that does more than mere PIN replacement," commented Christer Bergman, President and CEO of Precise Biometrics. "The Precise Match-on-Card technology adjusted for the standard ANSI 378 takes biometric security and convenience one step further by performing the actual fingerprint match within the tamper-proof environment of a smart card. This reduces the vulnerability of matching on a network-connected device, an external server, or a database, normally considered weak links in the security chain.
While many of biometric devices used today still operate in a database environment making the solutions vulnerable to attacks and hacks, the Precise Match-on-Card technology eliminates the need for the database by both storing and processing biometric data directly on a smart card, providing a secure, privacy-enhancing biometric program with dynamic flexibility and scalability.
With the combination of Precise Match-on-Card and the standard ANSI 378, Precise Biometrics is offering agencies the ability to conduct offline biometrics authentication, using smart card and fingerprint. Offline authentication has become an increasing concern with the need for PIV to operate in environments where servers are or will be inaccessible, such as post-natural or terrorist disaster areas, battlefields, ports, train depots, airports, and other transportation facilities.
For further information, please contact Bianca Maritz at telephone +27 11 257 8600; fax +27 11 257 8699; e-mail biancam@securedata.co.za.
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Precise Biometrics AB is an innovative security company that supplies world-leading systems for authentication using fingerprints. The solutions supplied by the company replace keys, PIN codes and passwords. The company's products are cost effective and provide security and comfort combined with top-class protection of personal integrity. The range of products includes systems for access control to buildings, computers and networks and for building into mobile and fixed terminals, such as mobile phones and portable computers. The company is headquartered in Lund, Sweden and has offices in London, Stockholm and a US subsidiary in Washington, DC.
SecureData
SecureData, an ERP.com company, is Africa's premier IT security solution provider. SecureData's solutions incorporate anti-virus and content security, endpoint security, network security, intrusion prevention and authentication and identity management. SecureData's comprehensive "Managed Security Services" include design, audit, implementation, vulnerability assessment, out sourcing and hosting. SecureData distributes, sells and supports category leading IT security products to the public, corporate and SME sectors throughout Africa as well as products and services to the SOHO and consumer markets through partnerships with ISPs. As well as being the sole distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa for Trend Micro, SecureData is the Sub-Saharan African distributor for USA-based TippingPoint Technologies as well as for AirDefense, Application Security, eEye, Network Engines, Precise Biometrics, Rocket Software, RSA Security, St Bernard and Websense. For more information, visit SecureData at www.securedata.co.za.
ERP.com
ERP.com is a JSE-listed company focused on the implementation, integration and management of enterprise applications in an e-business environment. For more information, visit ERP.com at www.erpcom.co.za.
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