Life Beyond Passwords - Biometrics And The Future Of User Verification
(PR Web, Feb 19, 2020)
A NYC area IT security consultant and managed services provider (MSP) discusses what we can expect beyond passwords for user verification in a new article on the eMazzanti Technologies website. The informative article explains the variety and relative high degree of security found in biometrics.
Where Mobile Apps Benefit From Biometrics
(Tech Native, Feb 19, 2020)
Mobile apps have become an increasingly prominent part of our lives in recent times, so much so, that many of our everyday activities are now carried out on these platforms Communications, entertainment, social media, online shopping, online banking – the list goes on and to such an extent that mobiles have become the most used piece of technology we rely on in our lives. The release of the iPhone 5s in 2013 with its capacitive fingerprint sensor paved the way for biometrics in mobile devices and its integration with mobile apps developed quickly soon thereafter. The manner in which mobile apps have since benefited is nothing short of staggering and they have done so in a number of different ways
Advanced Biometric Technology To Be Deployed Globally
(iHLS, Feb 19, 2020)
Biometrics has quickly established itself as the most pertinent means of identifying and authenticating individuals in a reliable and fast way, through the use of unique biological characteristics. The military is one of the sectors using biometric technology for various authentication tasks. The US military has been improving its biometric processing capabilities abroad. Army Soldiers patrolling critical checkpoints overseas will soon have an improved biometrics tool to help identify persons of interest in real time. The technology will modernize the Army’s 20-year-old biometric processing capabilities.
Motorola Sued Over Mugshot Database
(Law Street Media, Feb 19, 2020)
Plaintiffs Johnny Flores, Ariel Gomez, and Derrick Lewis filed a class action complaint against Motorola and Vigilant Solutions for violating Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The complaint was filed in the Illinois Northern District Court. Plaintiffs are represented by Loevy & Loevy.
The Path Toward Biometrics-Enhanced Patient Matching
(Pew Trusts, Feb 19, 2020)
Over the past decade, the use of biometrics—analysis of individually distinguishable characteristics such as fingerprints or eye scans—as a form of identification has become more commonplace. From the ability to use facial recognition to unlock smartphones to passing through airport security with only a fingerprint scan, biometrics are already transforming the way Americans go about their daily lives. These technologies also have the potential to greatly enhance the matching of patient records from a range of health care settings. Still, as with many new approaches, serious privacy and technical issues need to be resolved. That’s why The Pew Charitable Trusts and RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, are working to develop a roadmap for the widespread use of biometrics-enhanced patient matching.
Will Banks Get Caught Up In Facial Recognition Backlash?
(American Banker, Feb 19, 2020)
As consumer advocates, state authorities and national lawmakers line up in protest against facial-recognition technology, banks using it to let customers log in to mobile banking may need to brace for a fight. Last week, 40 consumer advocacy groups — including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and Fight for the Future — called for a ban on the use of facial recognition, starting with college campuses.
A Lack Of Two-Factor Authentication Shows Your Disregard For Consumer Protection
(Payments Journal, Feb 19, 2020)
This article from Information Age is also spot on, indicating that the focus should be on smartphone biometrics. Mercator Advisory Group pointed this out twice in January 2017 (reports are available here and here) then again in May 2017 (available here), and yet most banks haven’t implemented biometrics across all of their channels. Even worse, many have only recently implemented One-Time Passwords which were identified as a failed security method back in 2016 and deprecated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
India’s Growing Surveillance State
(Foreign Affairs, Feb 19, 2020)
New Technologies Threaten Freedoms in the World’s Largest Democracy
How A Basic IPhone Feature Scared A Senator Into Proposing A Facial Recognition Moratorium
(Vox, Feb 19, 2020)
With just a picture of your face, someone armed with facial recognition software could find everything there is to know about you, from your name to your address to information about your family. That such tech could usher in an age of constant surveillance has many spooked. Recode recently chatted with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who recently introduced a bill aimed at curbing government use of facial recognition software after he noticed the technology at work on his iPhone — and saw the scope of its power in China's use of it against the country’s largely Muslim Uighur minority.
Privacy Risks Are Worth The Price Of Safety
(Fordham Ram, Feb 19, 2020)
With technology’s influence on our everyday lives becoming increasingly apparent, its capabilities continue to evolve as well. The topic of school safety has become an even higher priority after multiple school massacres such as those at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Florida in 2018. Extensive precautionary measures have been taken to ensure that the student’s safety is of the utmost importance. While technology has come under scrutiny at times, it is now being used to complete a task that all of the country can unanimously agree on: ensuring the safety of America’s youth.
Is The CCPA The Beginning Of A Move To Supra-National Legislation?
(Info Security Magazine, Feb 19, 2020)
Over the past two years, data privacy has become one of the world’s most widely regulated and closely followed areas of the law. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) appeared on the scene in 2018, dramatically changing the privacy landscape not just within Europe but also globally given its extra-territorial application. More recently, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which came into effect on 1st January 2020, has been introduced to safeguard the people of California’s privacy. Much like GDPR, the CCPA is predicted to have a significant impact on those businesses which must comply in a number of ways. It also has extra-territorial application meaning any organizations that ‘do business in the state of California’ must comply with no physical presence required.
Big Tech to Face More Requirements in Europe on Data Sharing, AI
(Wall Street Journal, Feb 19, 2020)
BRUSSELS—American tech companies will soon need to meet new requirements in the European Union regarding artificial intelligence and sharing data with smaller rivals, as the bloc seeks to assert its “technological sovereignty” from the U.S. and China.
EU Seeks AI Champions: Five Things To Know
(Tech Xplore, Feb 19, 2020)
From translation apps to facial recognition, artificial intelligence is becoming a major part of everyday life and the European Union is eager to bring order to this digital "wild west" where the US and China dominate. On Wednesday, key Brussels officials will unveil ideas to regulate AI, hoping to stimulate EU champions in the highly strategic sector while also dispelling fears that a high tech Big Brother will stalk Europeans.
U.S. Special Forces May Get Facial-Recognition Gear That IDs Foes From 1 Km Away
(Karma Impact, Feb 19, 2020)
The U.S. military is taking facial-recognition software to a new level. The next generation of the technology will be portable and able to identify individuals from distances of as much as a kilometer away, according to New Scientist. The technology is being developed for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the magazine reported. Work began in 2016 on the Advanced Tactical Facial Recognition at a Distance Technology, and a prototype was demonstrated in December, laying the groundwork for production, New Scientist said.
Amazon Exec Defends Facial Recognition Sales To Law Enforcement, Says Would Sell To Foreign Governments
(Frontline, Feb 19, 2020)
In recent years, Amazon has faced growing criticism from civil rights groups, AI researchers and even some Amazon employees and shareholders for selling its facial recognition technology to law enforcement and discussing it with U.S. government agencies. Some of the same groups have also raised concerns that the technology could in the future be available to foreign governments, including authoritarian regimes.
CPD Has New Body Cameras With Livestreaming Capabilities
(WLWT, Feb 19, 2020)
Cincinnati police are taking high-tech to new heights. With new body cameras that turn on automatically and real-time livestreaming of emergency situations, the department is living up to its newfound cutting edge reputation when it comes to the latest technology. Advertisement All 1,000 officers are now outfitted with the next generation body camera, theAxon 3.
Ring And Nest Helped Normalize American Surveillance And Turned Us Into A Nation Of Voyeurs
(Washington Post, Feb 19, 2020)
Amazon's Ring, Google's Nest and other Internet-connected cameras - some selling for as little as $59 - have given Americans the tools they need to become a personal security force, and millions of people now seeing what's happening around their home every second - what Ring calls the "new neighborhood watch." (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)
Safe Skies PARAS RFP Announcement
(Safe Skies, Feb 19, 2020)
The RFP for PARAS 0033 Mental Health and Airport Security has been posted to our website here and closes on March 31. The objective of this research is to provide information and guidance to help the airport community understand and address individuals experiencing mental health crises at airports. Population segments to consider include employees, passengers, and non-traveling public. Guidance for Preparing Proposals can be found on our website here. Interested proposers are strongly encouraged to read the RFP and proposal guidance in their entirety to ensure all requirements are met. Please contact jessica.grizzle@sskies.org with any questions regarding the RFP or proposal submission. While we strive to convey clear objectives in an RFP, questions are welcome and encouraged to ensure understanding.
DHS Releases 2020 Private Sector Resources Catalog
(ACI-NA, Feb 19, 2020)
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released the 2020 Private Sector Resources Catalog, which features a detailed summary of DHS trainings, publications, guidance, alerts, programs, newsletters, and services available to the private sector, such as: National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) The National Disaster Recovery Framework is a guide that enables effective recovery support to disaster-impacted States, Tribes, Territorial and local jurisdictions. It provides a flexible structure that enables disaster recovery managers to operate in a unified and collaborative manner. It also focuses on how best to restore, redevelop and revitalize the health, social, economic, natural and environmental fabric of the community and build a more resilient Nation. Visit: www.fema.gov/national-disaster-recovery-framework.
