News and insight into biometric identification and authentication

Australia seeing growth in biometrics usage

Monday, June 15, 2009

National Australia Bank (NAB), a banking company in Australia, is one of the latest organizations in the country to begin using biometric systems to better secure their operations, according to a Computer Weekly article. NAB has deployed voice biometrics to better and more quickly authenticate their customers utilizing the bank’s call center. Other organizations also have begun using biometric technologies, such as NAB competitor HSBC who has employed facial recognition for better securing their customers’ accounts.


A major concern for companies and organizations moving forward with such systems has been security of the data collected as biometric experts warn of the public perception of biometric data collection as a breach of privacy in the first place.

Many still report great success with adopting new security standards such as the nursery school at Berkshire Shared Services (BSS) whom utilize a fingerprint system for parental access. Officials from BSS have reported that although it was tricky to implement, it has been exceptionally cost efficient in the end.

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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is recommending the elimination of password usage in favor of biometrical recognition, reports Government Computer News.

DARPA said on its Active Authentication site that complex passwords are too cumbersome to create, remember and manage, nor do active sessions have the capability to recognize whether the current user is the one who was originally authenticated.

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Reportlinker.com has added a new report by Frost and Sullivan to its catalog that examines the global health care biometrics market. Called “Strategic Analysis of the Global Healthcare Biometrics Market,” this study looks at the technology around all types of biometric capture, including fingerprint, face, iris, hand and voice.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Australia’s Attorney General and Ministry of Defense are exploring ways to grant reciprocation for fast-tracking each other’s citizens through customs checks in both countries, reports Australian Business Traveller.

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Market research firm RNCOS has released a report called “The Biometric Market Forecast to 2014,” which predicts double-digit growth for the sector by 2014.

As reported on AZOSensors.com, RNCOS believes the market will grow by a 21% compound annual growth rate from 2012 to 2014. Companies’ efforts to combat identity theft and enhance corporate security will drive this growth.

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The British government has advised that schools will not be able to use students’ biometric data unless parents consent, reports politics.co.uk.

The government’s advice, released on Tuesday for consultation, was updated to include items from the newly enacted Freedoms Act 2012. This new advice will take effect in September 2013.

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Australia’s Immigration Ministry has implemented the use of biometric recognition tools such as facial scans, fingerprints and DNA to fight fraudulent visa applications, reports The Daily Telegraph.

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