Fingerprint Recognition Technology Further Secures User Identities
And Simplifies Use of PKI
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- DigitalPersona, Inc., a leading
provider of secure biometric solutions, today announced that it has teamed with
VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRSN) to advance the use of biometric authentication as part
of VeriSign's managed PKI services for enterprise customers. DigitalPersona's U.are.U(R)
Pro System is the first biometric authentication solution to include support of the latest
release of VeriSign's Personal Trust Agent (PTA), a lightweight, client-side agent that
enables user-friendly certificate management, client authentication, and digital
signatures. U.are.U Pro includes Windows(R) software and an intelligent USB fingerprint
sensor that will allow customers to securely access their digital certificates with the touch
of their finger.
Today, most businesses use passwords or tokens for user authentication and access. This
can create security and support problems for managers who must rely on users to
maintain security and remember passwords. U.are.U Biometric Authentication Solutions
replace passwords (something you know) with a biometric (who you are). This provides a
much higher level of security and authentication. When users attempt to access a secure
resource, the DigitalPersona screen will ask the user to touch the finger sensor, enabling
access to the digital certificates and associated private keys secured by the PTA.
"U.are.U is a perfect complement to VeriSign's Personal Trust Agent," said Fabio Righi,
President and CEO of DigitalPersona. "As a result of our collaboration, customers will
enjoy heightened security and simplified access to VeriSign's managed PKI services."
U.are.U Pro is a secure biometrics solution that protects the authentication process from
end-to-end. The intelligent sensor includes encryption and challenge-response
technology. VeriSign's Personal Trust Agent, part of its Go Secure!(SM) for Web
Applications, a suite of plug-and-play components that accelerate the process of
securing web-based applications, has been recently upgraded to include a
vendor-neutral Application Programmer's Interface (API) to enable biometric
authentication support.
"We believe that the improved security and convenience gained with biometric
authentication will help accelerate PKI adoption in high security applications in the
enterprise," said Bob Pratt, Director of Product Marketing for VeriSign. "It also provides
strong assurance of the actual person behind the transaction."
With the completion of this collaborative effort, DigitalPersona has now entered the
VeriSign Partner Program for Developers as a Gold level partner. As part of the program,
DigitalPersona will work with VeriSign to further integrate technology and to promote
jointly developed solutions through advertising and events.
About DigitalPersona
DigitalPersona, developer of the innovative U.are.U(R) biometric security solutions,
brings both heightened security and convenience to users. DigitalPersona has
developed next generation fingerprint recognition hardware and software technology
enabling market-ready solutions. With a user-friendly interface and the highest level of
security for corporations, Internet, and home, users can now safeguard their digital
accounts and information. Based in Redwood City, Calif., the company distributes its
products through an extensive network of OEM, VAR, reseller and retail channels and
has attracted strategic partnerships with major computer and peripheral manufacturers.
Third party developers also are selling the product into medical, legal, finance/banking,
retail/POS and access control markets.
DigitalPersona's award-winning U.are.U biometric security solutions include U.are.U
Online for the Internet, U.are.U Pro for corporate networks and U.are.U Deluxe for home
and office computers. Each solution is designed to confirm an individual's identity and
protect access to sensitive information, while reducing the high costs associated with
password management. U.are.U has received numerous awards, including the "Editor's
Choice" award from PC Magazine and Network Computing and the "Best of Comdex"
award from PC Week.
NOTE: U.are.U(R) and DigitalPersona(TM) are the property of DigitalPersona, Inc. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
