As the number of passwords and PINs grows, firms are turning to biometric security devices, such as iris scanners, to relieve the administration burden and improve security.

Organisations such as banks, health care providers and even government agencies are increasingly turning to biometric scanners as an effective means of securing networks against attackers and forgetful employees.

Hoping to capitalise on this growing interest, companies such as Keyware Technologies and BioNetrix Systems are launching biometric security tools to ease the burden of overworked IT staff, while providing increased security and convenience for users.

"You have to find the right balance between the level of security and the level of customer service," said Charlie Brenner, senior vice-president of Fidelity Investments' Centre for Applied Technology. The company uses fingerprint scanners internally and is considering them for retail customers. "People are frustrated by the number of passwords and PINs they have to carry around Ã,­ there's plenty of latent demand for this technology," said Brenner.

Keyware last week announced its CAS (Centralised Authentication Server) SignOn, a centrally managed authentication platform that enables companies to eliminate text passwords altogether or to combine passwords with advanced biometric devices such as face scanners and voice recognition tools. CAS SignOn also gives administrators the option of setting different authentication requirements for individual applications or sections of a network.

For example, a company could require only a password to access a shared corporate calendar, but could also demand a voiceprint or facial scan to access back-end applications from companies such as SAP and PeopleSoft. And because the platform is managed centrally, rather than at the user level, the administrator can easily change policies and permission levels. Administrators can also manage existing Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) encryption deployments through CAS SignOn.

Most companies still regard biometric devices as overkill for authentication. However, e-commerce means that increasingly partners and customers want access to corporate networks. This often translates into a deluge of requests for new passwords, which are frequently forgotten. As a consequence, many IT managers are reconsidering their stance on biometrics. "We want to use the technology that's available and use it to everyone's advantage," said Wayne Singer, senior vice-president of eMedicalFiles, a US-based provider of health care applications and a Keyware customer. "Biometrics take the level of security to the utmost."

BioNetrix's Authentication Suite 4.0, which was launched this month, lets users authenticate themselves over the Internet for Web-based applications. Like CAS SignOn, BioNetrix's platform is centrally managed and enables administrators to push policy changes to users and set levels of authentication for individual applications.

John Ticer, chief executive of BioNetrix, said, "Passwords aren't good enough any longer, but you don't want to make it too difficult for the user, otherwise they'll resist it."

In anticipation of a big shift to wireless Internet access, BioNetrix and Keyware are working on biometrics for mobile devices. BioNetrix is developing a prototype scanner for handheld devices and is negotiating with mobile phone makers to produce a software agent for their handsets. It is also working on signature recognition for use with a fingerprint scanner to authenticate mobile users. "There's going to be a huge proliferation of network entry points in the near future, and you're going to need stronger authentication," Ticer said.

Keyware is working on a voice recognition application for mobile phones and a fingerprint scanner for personal digital assistants (PDAs).

BioNetrix and Keyware pointed out that portable devices can leave corporate data vulnerable Ã,­ and biometric security now promises a solution to the problem.

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