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Scanner that solves password problem with a click

A pioneering fingerprint scanner which allows access into a personal computer without the need for passwords is predicted to become the choice of security conscious organisations and businesses as well as individuals who often forget their passwords.

MT Digit fingerprint reader solves password problems with just a click on the computer's mouse.

Developed by British firm, Impleo based in Wokingham, southern England, it is one of the hundreds of products displayed in the Millennium Dome in London to showcase innovative products developed in the UK.

The device looks similar to an ordinary computer mouse and provides a fast, affordable and secure alternative to the password for access to personal computer systems.

Using biometric technology, verification software compares a user's fingerprint against its database in fewer than 2 s, making it faster and safer than typing in a password. The scanner 'reads' the fingerprint and compares it with its stored data, granting instant access. The software is a standard Windows installation (Win95 and NT), with connection to the PC via the parallel printer port.

Market research has shown that more than 30% of all telephone calls to organisations' information technology (IT) help desks are password related. For large organisations that change their system passwords on a monthly basis, that is a massive cost overhead.

Datawise surveyed 100 corporate users and discovered 15% of people choose their date of birth and 49% select their partner's name or the name of their children or pets. Of the men surveyed, 20% choose their favourite football team as passwords.

Most people (about 80%) justified choosing simple passwords because they were afraid of forgetting more complex word and number combinations. Some even admitted having a 'one-for-all' password, such as their birthday, which they use for PC, credit card and bank account access, making them even more vulnerable to fraud.

"Few people realise how inefficient, costly and insecure password security is," said Grant Morgan, Managing Director at Impleo.

"Increasingly, companies which place value on issues of confidentiality and IT security are turning to more advanced technology to meet their needs. While retinal scanning and fingerprint recognition was once the preserve of James Bond movies, it is now easily available and affordable for UK businesses."

Impleo is a leading developer of plug-and-play peripheral interfacing technology. Its Datawise product range includes the MT Digit fingerprint reader, CD-RW, DVD-Rom, SuperDisk and Zip disk.

website:www.impleo.com

e-mail: [email protected]

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