Jul-13-09 Global Biometric Forecast to 2012

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Jul-08-09 L-1 Identity Solutions Receives $27.6 Million from Multiple U.S. States for Secure Driver’s License Solutions

$27.6  million was awarded to L-1 for driver’s license solutions from Delaware, Louisiana, Tennessee, Indiana; extension options would add an additional $16 Million.

Jul-02-09 US-VISIT Fortifies Security

Previously, over-stayers were only discovered if they had encounter with police.

Jul-01-09 Pact to bar High-Risk Travelers Formalized by United States and Spain

The US and Portugal sign Preventing and Combating Crime (PCC) Agreement allowing the exchange of biometric and biographic data to strengthen counterterrorism and law enforcement in both nations.

Jun-16-09 European Education Connectivity Solution (EECS)

The creation of a standardised campus card system will facilitate secure access to a range of campus services. It will also provide academic mobility by allowing Higher Education institutions to share information using a common identification card that will act as a student’s “electronic key” and will enable access to a student’s records on secure databases.

Jun-12-09 Volvo Technology Selected to Lead New York CVII Development Program

The goal of national Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII), which uses high speed, high capacity wireless technology, is to enhance highway user safety by allowing "smart" vehicles and highway infrastructure to communicate information to the driver. VII technology can provide a wide range of communications to the driver including safety warning of potential hazards and general traveler information…using embedded roadway sensors or other intelligent transportation systems.

Jun-12-09 NIST Ranks Sagem Sécurité #1 in face and iris recognition technology

Seven companies and five universities, under conditions typical of applications for border control and identity management. Sagem Sécurité is the only company to have reached this level of accuracy in all three types of biometric recognition: face, iris and a combination of the two.

Jun-04-09 Operation Stonegarden, $60 Million in Grants for US Border States

The 2009 allocations reflect President Obama’s increased emphasis on the Southwest border in response to cartel violence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Based on greater risk, heavy cross-border traffic and border-related threat intelligence, nearly 76 percent of Operation Stonegarden funds will go to Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas—up from 59 percent in fiscal year 2008.

Jun-03-09 Policy and Technology Experts Agree on Need for Privacy, Access and Identity for Healthcare Information

Hospitals and other stakeholders also face significantly stronger privacy and security rules along with new financial penalties for violators, according to Richard D. Marks, co-founder and president, Patient Command, Inc. Marks said the healthcare “HITECH Act of 2009” provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are a direct effort by the new administration to extend and enforce HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations that were largely ignored until now.

Magrath points out that if someone steals your credit card number and starts using it online, the bank will replace your financial losses and just give you a new card; however, there is no single issuer there to protect you in the case of healthcare information.

Jun-02-09 Biometric Passports for Croatia

The Agencija za komercijalnu djelatnost (AKD), Croatia’s high-security printing house announced that Sagem Identification will provide the polycarbonate datapage with integrated chip technology for the new Croatian biometric passport. Croatia’s move to a highly protected electronic passport will comply with international standards.

The selection of Sagem Identification as the supplier of the datapage is a logical step following Sagem Sécurité’s market presence and successful passport implementations in already 7 other European countries.

Jun-01-09 DoD ABIS Goes Operational

n January, Next Generation Automated Biometric Identification System (NG-ABIS) v1.0 was deployed to support the DoD biometrics mission by improving upon the current DoD biometrics authoritative data source. The system, now known as DoD ABIS, is operated by the BTF and in just a few short months, “customer response has been overwhelmingly positive,” according to Mark Downs, DoD ABIS Operations Manager for the BTF.

“ With the enhancements delivered in the new DoD ABIS, Operations is now much better equipped to provide an identity management service for force protection, including operational encounters, base access, and detainee management,” he said. Operators are experiencing results that exceed required response times during demonstrations of the enhanced system.

May-17-09 Swiss Passport Vote Wins Majority

Swiss voters approved of the new electronic passport and a central fingerprint register.

Final results show supporters with 5,500 votes more than opponents – making this one of the closest results in recent Swiss history.

May-17-09 Biometrics: Improving Lives At Eglin Air Force Base

The DoD has found numerous ways to use biometrics in both Iraq and Afghanistan to identify enemy combatants. The progress in this area in the past few years has been remarkable. With the use of biometrics, our warfighters in the field are better equipped to complete their missions.

May-13-09 Biometric Technology Spans All Services

Earlier this year, a DoD-wide data call requested by LTG Stephen Boutelle, Army Chief Information Officer/G-6, asked military components to report on biometric technology systems being “used or planning to be used.” This information, collected by the DoD Biometrics Management Office, provides a general summary of emerging biometric technologies. Though the findings are still preliminary, they do outline general trends.

May-12-09 The Center for Applied Identity Management Research Releases First Annual Workshop Report

"We are currently facing a whole host of complex global identity management challenges ranging from major vulnerabilities in our critical infrastructure to rising cybercrime rings and reports of new data breaches in the headlines almost every day," said Norm Willox, Chairman of CAIMR and Special Advisor to the CEO, LexisNexis Risk and Information Analytics Group. "Identity management-related crime is growing exponentially and no one sector can mitigate or solve it alone. That's why CAIMR is dedicated to working collaboratively with its government, corporate and academic partners to address these key issues and provide real-world solutions."

May-11-09 Houston Transport Company, Alerts Truckers to New U.S. Coast Guard Security Clearance Requirements

Individuals meeting TWIC eligibility requirements will be issued a tamper-resistant credential containing the worker's biometric (fingerprint template) to allow for a positive link between the card and the individual.

May-06-09 UK Home Secretary: Biometrics can be recorded in private sector vendors

The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has announced that biometrics for ID cards can be collected in local chemists and post offices.

May-05-09 Identity Verification Study shows Lack of confidence in Passwords

The 2009 Salmat VeCommerce Identity Verification Study highlights consumers' fears that traditional PINs and passwords do not provide adequate protection of their personal information, with 67 per cent of consumers reporting that they believe their security details are at risk.

Just over half (51 per cent) felt that someone else may be able to accurately guess their password, PIN or security details for interactions over the phone, while 59 per cent said they believe someone else may actually know these details.

May-04-09 Iris Biometrics: The Next Generation

May-01-09 LAUNCH OF RISE: AN INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE PLATFORM DEVOTED TO ETHICS OF BIOMETRICS AND SECURITY TECHNOLOGY

RISE’s mission is to create an internationally recognized ethical framework to be used while planning and managing security policies, notably biometrics. Ethical implications of biometric identification technologies directly concern respect for body integrity and dignity, protection of weaker communities and their privacy rights.