Exchange Your PIN for Your Iris

By | October 31st, 2012|Uncategorized|

It’s something you see in cartoons and science fiction movies – a character goes into a secured area and either their hand or eye is scanned to grant them access. In real life, that practice is called biometrics, or the use of personal traits such as fingerprints, hand scans, eye scans or vocal patterns to authenticate one’s identity.

As our recent consumer survey shows, the current use of login and password combinations for authentication is flimsy at best and leaves businesses and consumers open to security risks. But what other options are there? Jennifer Waters of MarketWatch recently pointed to biometrics as the next step in security in “Can palm scans replace ATM cards?”

According to Waters, a growing number of financial institutions, businesses and medical facilities are investigating using biometrics as a security measure. Even the government is investing heavily in it, with a $1 billion investment into a system called Next Generation Identification that will expand biometric databases. According to Frost and Sullivan, the biometrics use in civil and military applications will grow by an annual rate of 14 percent until 2019.

While some types of biometrics, such as hand or eye scans, require you to be present, voice biometric technologies offer a more remote option. Services like CSID’s VoiceVerified can take a one-time vocal print and compare it to your voice every time you call, ensuring it is actually you on the phone. By verifying your identity with features that cannot be replicated, biometrics help stop identity thieves in their tracks.

What are your thoughts on the potential of biometrics? Would you be comfortable using it? Chime in below or share your thoughts with us on Twitter or Facebook

Revisiting SXSW 2012 – One Last Look

By | March 27th, 2012|Uncategorized|

It’s hard to believe that South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) is already two weeks in the past. We spent eight months planning and prepping for the event—during which CSID hosted three panels—then it came and went in a flash. In fact, we already have SXSW 2013 on our radar.

Before we get ahead of ourselves with arrangements for next year’s event, we wanted to revisit SXSW 2012 one last time and call out some key messages from each of our panels.

Data Breaches: Taking the Bull by the Horns
This panel, moderated by CSID President Joe Ross, brought up some resonating points about the importance of preparing your company for a data breach, and what to do in the instance that a breach occurs. A few key points from the panel include:

  • Negligent insiders are the top cause of data breaches. One study estimates that 61 percent of security breaches are caused by internal sources.
  • Every company, no matter how big or small, must create a risk management protocol that covers processes and procedures in the case of a breach.
  • Breach notification laws differ among states. In 41 states, a breach of usernames and passwords does not need to be reported.

My Voice is My Passport. Verify Me.
This was a dual panel featuring Isaac Chapa, VP of technology at CSID, and Dan Miller, senior analyst and founder of Opus Research. Isaac and Dan discussed voice biometric technology and the future of voice authentication. Some interesting points made by Isaac and Dan include:

  • Experts predict an exponential growth in voiceprint enrollments as businesses look for ways to authenticate online and mobile transactions like mobile payments.  
  • Voice biometric technology has two key advantages over other biometric solutions: it can be used in a number of environments, and it does not require additional software or hardware to be built into a device as would fingerprint or retina scanners.
  • Your voice can be a useful replacement when dealing with frequent password resets or remembering hundreds of complex log-ins. You can’t forget your voice.

No Rainy Days: Identity Protection in the Cloud
CSID’s VP of product strategy, Eric Youngstrom, discussed cloud security with a well-rounded group of experts. Notable points discussed during the panel include:

  • On the horizon for cloud security: The National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) “Identity Ecosystem.” When implemented, the protocol will be similar to the FDA stamping your meat. NSTIC-approved sites will have a standard level of security in place, protecting consumer data.
  • Security across the supply chain is completely relevant and important when storing and accessing data in the cloud.
  • Make sure your cloud provider has third party certifications and is taking proper measures to secure your data.

What did you take away from SXSW this year? What topics do you want to see CSID cover at next year’s event? Leave a comment or let us know through Facebook and Twitter.

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