So, where do you stand with regards to this weeks announcement that the British Government wants to monitor email, telephone and social networking communications? Or will you wait until all the facts have been heard first? Well, I side with the latter argument because I can’t seem to make up my mind what I think about the whole thing. From what I gather (correct me if I’m wrong here) is that the Conservative Government wants to monitor when these communications are taking place and with whom, while the content will remain unknown. This is to of course protect our security namely from the likes of terrorists and paedophiles.
However, something that I didn’t already know is that our internet history is already kept on file for one year and this is under EU regulations, so in a way this is being added upon. While I can understand the logic – if you’ve got nothing to hide then why worry? But at the same time, where is the line drawn? This may be a little far-fetched but what if our communications are sold off to advertising of media conglomerates in order to re-shape how they reach their target market. This may not be a direct concern to ourselves because we have probably already shaped our opinions on how we buy and spend, but what about the future generations? All of this could in turn impact them.
Our internet history is kept on file for one year after we visit a site
The second way in which this could spiral out of control is increased tracking. What if the British Government like the control of knowing who is interacting with who and decide to then monitor who is going where and with whom. Although, this is only a scenario this could be done with biometrics. Don’t panic! At the present moment in time biometric data is not stored in any database and is not shared with any larger databases out there for example travel, police and spending. But, if this were to happen, biometrics would be used to go beyond the conventional security or access control function.
Now, I can see a clear problem with this. Not only could it increased moral panic among the public but again become a target for advertisers and marketers. Say for example we had our fingerprints registered as infants (fingerprint images don’t change by the way) and we used this data to travel, spend and identify ourselves etc. Although identity theft and criminal activity may decrease, what would happen to our freedom? We could be directly marketed around the world. No matter where we are globally, people would know where we are, who we are with, what we are doing and how long for, as well as targeting our spending habits while we’re there. Okay this is a little ‘Big-Brother’ – esque but if George Orwell was writing about it in 1949 then what’s the difference today?
This is of course nothing to worry about as of yet, but food for thought nonetheless. For the time being, I think I’ll side with, ‘If you’ve got nothing to hide then why worry, we’re being protected for our own good!’
This blog is part of www.ievoreader.com who are biometric manufacturers of fingerprint access control systems. To view the full biometric fingerprint range visit the products page on the site listed.
Amid news this week that biometric passports will influence eGate implementation, it was also announced that if you are flying to Mexico, Cuba or Eastern Canada from the British Isles or Europe then you will be screened first by the US federal government. By screened I mean, a flight for example leaving a major airport in London or Dublin perhaps will have to hand over passenger details at least 72 hours before the plane is to take off plus it will not leave the runway until DHS authorises it.
Paranoid or common sense? When reading the original article this blog post is based on, one reveller commented that this is simple pre-cautious behaviour. As they put it themselves, “Any plane flying from Europe to Mexico or Cuba, for instance, could easily be hi-jacked and diverted to a major East Coast American city (Miami, Washington D.C., New York or Baltimore).”
The former argument, perhaps this is taking airport security to the next level, commentators believe this is an infringement on basic human rights. It seems as though the need for patrolling airports of who is coming in and out of what country and why is becoming ever more tangled and confusing. At one end of the spectrum we have the UK who has demanded everyone coming into the UK for the Olympics must have biometric data to go with their passports. And on the other side we have this, everyone leaving the UK that will enter American airspace must be screened prior to the flight.
But perhaps the argument infringes neither of the aforementioned arguments about security common sense and human rights. Biometric data is nothing to shout about. It will probably hold basic information about previous flights to and from the country, when, why and how long you were there. It will not link into some major database of everyone’s fingerprint data in the world which could be used to link you to certain crimes or whereabouts. In terms of screening passengers before take off, perhaps this isn’t a bad idea either, and when you think about it, why hasn’t this been a procedure earlier? Although we feel as though there’s never going to be an end to this all seeing all knowing eye, if we treat it as our enemy then that is only what it is going to become.
Biometric security in particular fingerprint recognition is an incredibly save and effective way to keep up to speed on people’s whereabouts. With an abundant population in UK and America as well as across the world, why is it such a bad thing that the Government want to keep tabs. If you’ve done no wrong and have nothing to worry about, then why would you even care?
ievo are manufacturers of biometrics access control systems, mainly fingerprint readers. Specialising in fit-for-purpose solutions, ievo’s products will function in an abundance of different environments. For more information on the ievo product range, visit www.ievoreader.com/products to view the Ultimate and Micro fingerprint systems.
As many of you may already know, biometrics are used widely, but not only within the confines of a security context. Today, it emerged that Ghana will be using fingerprint recognition in conjunction with social media to improve voting. Although social media to promote voting campaigns are nothing out of the ordinary, it will be used to inform users of the fingerprint registration process and to diminish fears of the technology. Apparently in Ghana stigma is attached to biometrics because of cancer concerns. So social media will be used to clear up any fears.
Ghana’s general elections are coming up in December and will be the first ever voting campaign that will use biometrics. It has also been estimated that it will cost up to $45 million to implement. In hindsight, this is a great way to ensure that those eligible to vote are doing so. Fingerprint systems will track who is voting and how many times, because like other countries in Africa, including Nigeria and Kenya have problems with people voting more than once, leading to inaccuracies. With this new rule, it is thought that results of the election will be more valid.
To look out for the social media campaign, make your way to Twitter as they have already promoted the hashtags #iRegistered and #GhanaDecides. The former is used to share stories among people who have already been registered on the fingerprint biometric system. They have also set up a Flikr account where registered users can show off their new voter I.D card. Of course, YouTube is used to promote videos and show people that there is nothing to be concerned about.
The only real problem, which is not biometric related, is that not all people in Ghana have access to the internet. So if widely people have fears over the new fingerprint scanning procedure then they won’t have access online to set the record straight that using software for fingerprints is nothing to be concerned about. This coincides with statistics that 1.2 million Ghananians have Facebook out of a population of 24.4 million is a little worrying. However, officials have insisted that promotion will be strongly advertised offline as well as on.
Let’s hope that this is true because one thing is for sure, if concerns are attached to biometric systems, people need to be made aware that there is nothing to worry about; neither health nor data protection should be harmed in any way.
We are always looking at interesting applications were biometrics are used and today we focus on fingerprint recognition in salons. Because access control has so many industry sectors there are some that get forgotten about, perhaps beauty salons are one of these.
However, Zoom Tan has installed a biometric system in one of their chains in New York. It not only reduces ‘fraud’ but records employees time & attendance. By fraud I mean, salon members were knowingly and unknowingly sharing their information with friends and relatives. Letting them use their membership cards to gain access to the salon. So much in the same light as gym’s, construction sites and health clubs.
But, these fingerprint readers are used not only to gain access to the salon, but to pay for their treatments and presumably log important information regarding their health; skin analysis, allergies and fitness levels. This increases efficiency within the business because management will be able to effectively report and track what treatments ’true’ members are benefiting from and how often. Fingerprints cannot be stolen or lost, unlike membership cards, which will save the company replacement prices and also protect members from substantial admin fees from replacing them.
As aforementioned, the salon is using the fingerprint software to log employees time & attendance. This is another incredibly effective way for management to run a business because it makes pay roll and health and safety checks a lot easier. In terms of practicalities, it saves management time and money, plus will cover their argument if an employee wants to dispute payment. Uniquely to a salon, if they hire sub-contracted beauty therapists to carry out one off treatments, they will be able to track how popular they are and also if they are wrongfully carrying out treatments they are not supposed to be.
When researching Zoom Tan and how they are using biometrics it did not mention security. I presume if they are using the fingerprint scanner to track time & attendance that it could be fitted on a staff entrance of some kind.
Installing an Ievo biometric fingerprint system within this kind of installation would be very effective. Not only because of the superior technology that Ievo uses which enables the biometric reader to function with levels of substances present on the skin but because Ievo seamlessly integrates into many leading time & attendance software packages meaning you will not have to actively research a biometric that does.
If you own a salon or are considering using a fingerprint access control system for projects such as construction sites, gyms and health clubs (were implementation is very similar to this example) you can look at Ievo’s fingerprint biometric range at www.ievoreader.com/products
Facilities and security managers attending IFSEC International 2012 can expect to learn all about the latest biometric solutions devised by the leading access control developers. Knowing who is on your premises when, why and for how long is one of the biggest security challenges faced by FMs managing busy buildings.
Overseeing the security of businesses with multiple sites and a large volume of visitors is a daily challenge in itself.
Controlling access to a building is not a new concept and has been used for many years in the simplest of forms such as gates and locks. Over the years, however, the term ‘access control’ has evolved to cover more advanced technology solutions ranging from simple video entry and keypad access through to highly sophisticated biometrics, swipe cards and even computer systems based on Internet Protocol (IP) – whereby the physical solutions are integrated directly into existing IT networks.
FMs and security managers visiting IFSEC International will leave with a comprehensive overview of the access control market and have the opportunity touch and feel new products, services and technologies and source new suppliers.
IFSEC International will bring together many of the world’s leading access control companies including ievo.
Ievo will be showcasing its brand new biometric solution – the ievo micro internal-only entry system fingerprint reader. This clever technology includes a spoof detection feature where the reader is able to differentiate between live human fingerprints as opposed to synthetic man-made prints and optimum retention of functionality even with types of creams and powders on the skin as well as some types of latex gloves.
With the global launch taking place at IFSEC this May, ievo plans to integrate a testing station on its stand for both its micro and ultimate access control systems. ievo’s ultimate biometric system has recently been installed in an Olympic site, the Scottish National Arena for the Commonwealth Games 2014 and at the German Embassy in London.
If you would like to come visit the ievo stand, we are demonstrating Ultimate and Micro biometric finger readers in Hall 4 at stand H47.
A new form of biometric technology has emerged on the gadget scene, yet not necessarily within security. It’s function is to verify the whereabouts and physicality of objects. As of yet, it has been used within the aerospace sector for Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) to name but a few.
I hear you say, what in the world is this technology. Well..It’s called Smart Sensors and we’re not talking about specific fingerprint scanners etc, instead this gadget functions to help prevent or control ‘normal’ ‘everyday’ situations. Again this is a little on the vague side, so let’s get down to business using an example.
For the automobile industry, smart sensors are used primarily for the airbag technology. While normally air-bags can themselves cause serious injuries due to sheer force, an air-bag with a smart sensor would be able to deploy under a whole different paradigm. Smart systems are capable of detecting the presence of both the passengers as well as their position within the compartment. Smart systems can sense an impending crash, its nature, the presence of occupants, their position, and determine the type of airbags to be fired and the force and speed of their deployment.
Although the clarity of how the actual technology functions is a little vague, it is clear that projections are most prominent in Europe and closely followed by the US. So how practical is the Smart Sensor? From researching the subject, it seems they can be hugely unreliable. This is because by taking a raw image of our physiological selves the algorithm seems too not withstand certain components such as abnormalities with an image of a human. This is hardly surprising.
In today’s biometric security industry, there are an abundance of fingerprint recognition systems that cannot withstand certain conditions either, including abnormalities within prints. Therefore, with such a far-fetched and idealistic technology such as the Smart Sensor it will come with its shortfalls and problems. If the technology is able to look beyond the superficial then yes of course, it will increase reliability. It’s a little like the difference between a multi-spectral fingerprint sensor and a conventional optical scanner. MSI looks below the surface of the skin as well as the intial layer, producing a high quality biometric image.
If the same principal is applied to these Smart Sensors then perhaps we would have a nifty new security/safety/operations gadget on our hands!
Ievo manufacture biometric fingerprint systems for the access control market, largely integrating into other security systems which increases the practicality of installation. If you would like to view their product range visit www.ievoreader.com
The passing of a new law in France paving the way for a biometric database and requiring all citizens to carry a biometric ID card is a time bomb for civil liberties, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has warned.
On Tuesday, the French National Assembly passed a law for the creation of a national biometric database, presumably to fight identity fraud.
However, the EFF warns that biometric databases pose a mission-creep threat since the data can be used for reasons beyond identity fraud.
It points out that governments are increasingly demanding storage of citizens’ biometric data on chips embedded into identity cards or passports and centrally held on government databases, with little regard to citizens’ civil liberties.
The new laws compel the creation of an ID card that will contain information such as fingerprints, photograph, home address, height and eye colour. New passports will also contain the chip.
A second, optional chip will be created for online authentication for e-government services and e-commerce. Supposedly acting as a form of card security access but on a National Level.
Is this is new wave of population security? If so, for France it could may well be worrying.
This is because the EFF points out that France doesn’t have a good track record for protecting biometric information – last year, the French government confirmed that 10pc of biometric passports in circulation were fraudulently obtained.
It also warns the passing of the law is disproportionate and one motive could be to prop up French smart card and biometrics companies who have been lobbying heavily for the creation of a biometric entry access system – ID card.
“History has shown that databases in France created for one purpose have been used for others: In 1998, for example, France created a national DNA database of sex offenders, but its scope was expanded to include data from those convicted of other serious violent criminal offences and terrorism. The database was later expanded to include the data of those who committed a wide range of offences. Anyone suspected of any crime is now compelled to submit a DNA sample, as well.
So, would you be happy with this law passing in the UK? Perhaps the British Government would deal with the situation better and ensure trust amongst citizens by informing us all correctly. Well at least we hope so!
Would you like to find out more information on the Ievo products, visit www.ievoreader.com to view the biometric range.
The British Home Office has cleverly introduced biometric identification for people seeking residency in the UK, and will become effective from February 29th 2012.
This new process will apparently improve efficiency when applying for the permit and in conjunction will help protect the new residents from identity theft and impersonation. Unsurprisingly, the two methods of biometric identification are fingerprint and facial scan.
Although this is an incredibly effective way to start tracking people coming in and out of the country, as long as permanent residents currently living in the UK do not have to pass over their biometric data then peace should be kept (for a while at least)
It leads us to think that, is this where the Government is heading? Biometric devices are very important for securing premises and valuable goods, as we have shown in recent blog posts, in particular our own ievo fingerprint readers have secured schools, hotels, embassies and banks, in some cases replacing defunct biometric door locks. However, in the previous post, we brought to you the debate over logging people’s biometric identity when they enter the UK for the Olympics.
So, the next step is to track the people coming into the UK for residency. I suppose this makes sense whenever the same process is used for people coming into the US, but will the Home Office take this a step further, or step too far? What if they start collecting biometric authentication from everyone in the UK. Perhaps not overtly, but at least whenever we go to renew our passports, or if we are setting up a new ISA account etc.
In these cases this is taking the technology of biometric fingerprint readers too far. At the moment we believe that they should only be used for fingerprint access control and of course security coming in and out of the country. But please do not take the technology too far. We do not want a moral outcry of panic overwhelming the industry.
Ievo manufactures robust fingerprint biometric systems for everyday solutions, internal or external, your security needs are covered. Make your way to www.ievoreader.com to view our innovative product ranges.
The topic of using biometrics at ATM machines has come up quite a lot lately in this blog, but from finding some interesting statistics on the matter, lets visit it again! It has been revealed that although users at ATM machines are dissatisfied with the level of security available, banks are still not administrating new procedures to combat the pressures while other competitive bank follow suit.
In fact, fraudulent activities at ATM machines are most likely to occur when the conventional magnetic-strip/PIN combination is used. Other countries such as Poland, Japan and Nigeria have all showed the initiative to change their security measures in relation to what their users want. Reluctance to switch has not been directly pinpointed, but in these times of apparent austerity, the main reason must be money. However, it has been suggested that the least popular reason for reluctance is privacy. For a long time now in this blog, rambling has been in major part due to end users not understanding the measures behind biometrics and therefore feared for their biometric data being stolen. Alas, this era seems to have come to an end.
Even with the abundance of different biometric forms; fingerprint, iris, facial, vein, voice, palm and gait people seemed to have grasped that with the widespread use of biometrics in their workplace, shopping centres, schools, nurseries and banks, there is nothing to be scared of.
Statistically, ‘finger-vein’ technologies have been installed in approximately 80,000 banks and almost 50% said they were unhappy with the system (never pleased are we!). Although (yet again) no direct reason was supplied as to why they are unhappy, we would like to think it’s because of the technology itself. ‘Finger-Vein’ technology is incredibly unreliable in relation to the original ‘biometric finger’ reader, because firstly the technology is quite new and hasn’t been fully developed. Biometric fingerprint readers have been around for a long time and in this instance ievo (of course) uses a renowned and superior form of technology called multi-spectral imaging. Therefore, perhaps it would not be such a crazy assertion to suggest that if Banks installed fingerprint biometric systems instead of vein, not only will the percentage of dissatisfaction decrease, users will feel more secure about their banking.
It is just a matter of taking this leap. People might then invest their trust once again into banks instead of constantly losing hope in a potential reform.
Biometrics will become the focal point of all security measures from now until the Olympic games begin on 27th July. Biometric data will be collected from all athletes, ticket holders and visitors coming into the UK for the games. This is going to be the first time a host nation has undertaken such a drastic biometric intervention.
Fingerprint recognition will be used to log all visitors to the UK for the Olympics
It has been estimated that 10,000 Olympic athletes and their coaches will have their fingerprints and faces scanned upon arrival to the games. If they decline to have their biometric data taken in their own country in order to gain access into the UK they must have it registered when they arrive. People fear however, that would-be terrorists or illegal immigrants may use the influx of people to their advantage. This fear coincides with the Governments plans to raise the national terror threat level to ‘sever’ instead of ‘substantial’
Aside from the Home Office believing that biometric data will increase security it is incredibly effective that this is the largest security operation, and that fingerprint recognition is being used alongside facial scanning instead of iris, vocal, palm and vain biometric forms. With fingerprint software being at the forefront of this security plan, it shows how reliable and trusted they are among other contenders.
The big question here is, will the data be kept and logged against the persons details and country of origin? UK residents do not need to worry about this because it only affects athletes and visitors coming into the country. Let’s evaluate the facts. If the data is kept, who will have access to it and will it be used in the future? If it is, this could create a moral panic surrounding biometric security including fingerprint scanning. Not only could this damage the security industry but affect the correct usage of biometric systems for everyday security purposes such as access control and time & attendance.
If the biometric data is not kept on file, will it be disposed of accordingly? Athletes and visitors will be coming into all parts of the UK not just London Heathrow, so will these procedures be carried out all across the country and if so, again will they be disposed of correctly using the same procedures simultaneously?
There are a lot of questions here that need answering and although it provides a great sense of security in knowing that the Government has risen to the situation, all of these need to be addressed, because if not, the security industry could hit a major blow.
To find out more information on the Ievo product range, visit the Ievo website www.ievoreader.com
To find out more information on the blog topic, visit http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/biometric-scans-for-all-overseas-games-athletes-6795258.html
