Irvine, CA (November 19, 2002) HID Corporation, an ASSA ABLOY Group company, and BIO-key International, Inc., the leader in finger-based biometric identification, announce advancements in biometric security with new solutions combining HID card and BIO-key biometric technologies.
The primary architecture of the HID/BIO-key solution is to store a unique identifier on the card, and use a backend server to perform the final, secure authentication. This enables the use of legacy cards and systems, such as the popular HID ProxCard® II (and all other HID proximity cards and tokens). It also allows for the power and performance of new technologies, such as iCLASS™, HID’s 13.56 MHz read/write contactless smart cards and readers, when onboard memory is required.
BIO-key’s “True User Identification™”is a highly discriminating and scalable biometric solution. By placing the biometric templates on a centralized server, all authentications, permissions for authorization, and security logging and monitoring can be easily handled. If a card is lost or stolen, a new card can be generated quickly and easily without doing a new biometric enrollment. Additionally, the power of the BIO-key biometric can assure that the same user is not in the database more than one time. These features help to stop identity theft and fraud while providing for cost reductions and security improvements. When there is no access to a server, BIO-key can also support onboard card storage of biometric templates.
“These new architectures afford the highest level of security possible. By continuing to create a trusted interface between each aspect of the authentication system, BIO-key can truly assure the identity of the user authenticating… providing the solution to the last key hole in security… knowing WHO the user is,” states Mira LaCous, BIO-key’s VP of Technology and Development.
LaCous goes on to say, “HID’s ability to offer both proximity and iCLASS technology is a perfect match for BIO-key, as we can take advantage of the full suite of products, maximizing the benefit to the customer. We can get them the most cost effective and secure solutions possible by using the most appropriate card technologies, and scaling the backend to the right level.”
BIO-key’s WEB-key solution has been strongly positioned to provide high security authentication, and the incorporation of HID’s card technologies is no different. Interfaces for applications to WEB-key support full Microsoft based architectures as well as full Java based support.
Currently BIO-key is delivering solutions utilizing HID ISOProx® II cards, with computer based USB readers which are called pcProx® readers. These solutions incorporate a user ID on the card with the biometric match being authenticated on WEB-key’s secure server. These solutions are part of BIO-key’s co-marketing efforts with Intel, Oracle and others.