- Email: [email protected]
Biometric watch arms itself for everyday use
News Although the report states that ID cards readable by an electronic device are probably the most viable technology for schools to consider, it does highlight various cases where hand geometry readers have been used to verify custodial parents in New Mexico. There have also been other publicised school installations, such as at the Harriet B Stowe primary school in Chicago (Btt September ’99, p4), which integrated a fingerprint system from Identix at a total implementation cost of US$100,000. Nevertheless, it seems that biometrics could still be too much of an expensive option for most cash-strapped schools. Biometric systems were also reported as being more difficult to use and as an immature technology in some cases. The systems could also be subject to vandalism and an authorised person could allow an unauthorised person entry, unless floor-to-ceiling turnstiles are used. On the positive side the accuracy of biometrics was highlighted, as was the advantage of not having to remember anything, such as a PIN or card. The document is available on the website at http://www.doe.gov/schoolsecurity/pdf.htm. Contact: Mary Green, at Sandia National Laboratories, Tel: +1 505 844 7746, email: [email protected]
E-commerce
Electronic signature legislation passed
“The future does not lie in large scale quasitotalitarian biometric systems. Biometrics need to meet customer and user requirements for security, privacy, convenience and acceptability. Personal biometric systems that the people own and control themselves fit these requirements.” Joe Rice, Veincheck
The US House of Representatives has passed the “Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act”, HR 1714 or E-SIGN. This legislation is designed to give electronic signatures and records the same legal significance as a written contract. The bill was passed by a resounding margin of 365-66. Biometrics are specifically mentioned in the text of the bill, following pressure by groups, such as the International Biometric Industry Association (Btt May ’99, p2). The relevant section of the bill reads: “An electronic signature is the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature. It is a generic term that describes a variety of methods by which an individual can sign an electronic record. Electronic signatures can range from simply typing a name at the end of an e-mail message, to a digital signature, to a
unique biometric identifier such as a fingerprint or iris scan.” The final form of the bill will most likely be signed in the New Year. A copy of the bill’s text can be found via http://www.house.gov. Physical Access control
Biometric watch arms itself for everyday use Further details have emerged on a biometric watch that could obtain a subcutaneous infrared absorption profile of a wearer’s wrist for verification purposes. The Biowatch, developed by inventor Joe Rice at Veincheck, would use an opto-electronic bracelet to obtain the profile, which it would compare with a previously recorded template. The biometric watch extends the idea of watchembedded smart cards that are already in use in Europe and Australia. Although the Biowatch is still at the concept stage, it would probably be combined with voice verification technology. Rice told Btt that the Biowatch would combine biometrics and smart cards to provide a wrist worn biometric agent that would communicate to peripheral devices, such as cars and office doors, via standard IrDA or RF communications protocols (Btt July/August ’98, p12). Biowatch would only need to go through a biometric verification procedure once a day, because while the watch is strapped to the owner’s wrist it would remain in a biometrically armed state. The watch would take advantage of standard public key cryptography to ensure that the biometric template is kept secret and held within the watch. Only an authorisation code would be transmitted, encrypted by the user’s private key. This approach would alleviate “big brother” issues that can arise when biometric information is stored in large databases. Alost biowatch would not necessarily lock a user out of all its peripheral devices either. Your house, car or computer, for example, would recognise alternative private and public access keys generated by a new biowatch, according to a cryptographic hierarchy. They would then void all public access keys associated with the lost watch. Contact: Joe Rice at Veincheck, Tel: +44 115 914 0759 Fax: +44 1623 722093, email: [email protected]
Btt December 1999/January 2000 • 5
E-commerce
Electronic signature legislation passed
“The future does not lie in large scale quasitotalitarian biometric systems. Biometrics need to meet customer and user requirements for security, privacy, convenience and acceptability. Personal biometric systems that the people own and control themselves fit these requirements.” Joe Rice, Veincheck
The US House of Representatives has passed the “Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act”, HR 1714 or E-SIGN. This legislation is designed to give electronic signatures and records the same legal significance as a written contract. The bill was passed by a resounding margin of 365-66. Biometrics are specifically mentioned in the text of the bill, following pressure by groups, such as the International Biometric Industry Association (Btt May ’99, p2). The relevant section of the bill reads: “An electronic signature is the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature. It is a generic term that describes a variety of methods by which an individual can sign an electronic record. Electronic signatures can range from simply typing a name at the end of an e-mail message, to a digital signature, to a
unique biometric identifier such as a fingerprint or iris scan.” The final form of the bill will most likely be signed in the New Year. A copy of the bill’s text can be found via http://www.house.gov. Physical Access control
Biometric watch arms itself for everyday use Further details have emerged on a biometric watch that could obtain a subcutaneous infrared absorption profile of a wearer’s wrist for verification purposes. The Biowatch, developed by inventor Joe Rice at Veincheck, would use an opto-electronic bracelet to obtain the profile, which it would compare with a previously recorded template. The biometric watch extends the idea of watchembedded smart cards that are already in use in Europe and Australia. Although the Biowatch is still at the concept stage, it would probably be combined with voice verification technology. Rice told Btt that the Biowatch would combine biometrics and smart cards to provide a wrist worn biometric agent that would communicate to peripheral devices, such as cars and office doors, via standard IrDA or RF communications protocols (Btt July/August ’98, p12). Biowatch would only need to go through a biometric verification procedure once a day, because while the watch is strapped to the owner’s wrist it would remain in a biometrically armed state. The watch would take advantage of standard public key cryptography to ensure that the biometric template is kept secret and held within the watch. Only an authorisation code would be transmitted, encrypted by the user’s private key. This approach would alleviate “big brother” issues that can arise when biometric information is stored in large databases. Alost biowatch would not necessarily lock a user out of all its peripheral devices either. Your house, car or computer, for example, would recognise alternative private and public access keys generated by a new biowatch, according to a cryptographic hierarchy. They would then void all public access keys associated with the lost watch. Contact: Joe Rice at Veincheck, Tel: +44 115 914 0759 Fax: +44 1623 722093, email: [email protected]
Btt December 1999/January 2000 • 5