“The issue reflects the evolving regulatory framework in place in the UK concerning how government authorities may use biometrics and related technologies.” Police in the UK are scrambling to get their forensics labs up to snuff in the wake of a statement from the country’s forensics regulator indicating that over 90 percent of the UK’s…
The UK’s Biometrics Commissioner is not satisfied with the recently published Home Office Biometrics Strategy. In a formal response to the Strategy, which was issued last week, Biometrics Commissioner Paul Wiles bemoaned the document’s lack of detail about where the UK government’s use of biometric technology is headed, asserting that it “says little about what future…
Israel-based AnyVision says it’s bringing biometric entry to a sports stadium in London this summer, but it’s not saying which one. As the Evening Standard reports, the revelation came at this week’s Ifsec International Security Show in Newham, where AnyVision’s founder, Eylon Etshtein, explained that the stadium deployment will replace tickets with face biometrics, scanning individuals…
“The HMRC, for its part, has responded to the criticism by noting that registration in its voice authentication system is voluntary, that identifying information is stored separately from the voice templates…” Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the UK’s equivalent of the IRS, is coming under fire from at least one privacy rights group over…
IDEMIA is looking to raise its profile in the UK with a new “Pop-Up Innovation Center” that will be situated in the Queen Elizabeth II Center. That’s right in Westminster, right in the heart of London. The Pop-Up Innovation Center will essentially act as a demo showroom, with IDEMIA announcing in a statement that it…
“IDEMIA’s fingerprint matching service will primarily be used by domestic law enforcement agencies, as well as border control and immigration authorities…” The UK’s Home Office has selected IDEMIA to provide it with an upgraded fingerprint matching system. In a statement announcing its contract win, IDEMIA did not disclose the project’s value. But the company did…
Police authorities in the UK are being challenged over their use of public surveillance systems based on facial recognition technology. An organization called Big Brother Watch, working with politician Baroness Jenny Jones, has written letters to the heads of the Home Office and London’s Metropolitan Police Service asking them to either halt the use of…
“The companies anticipate the participation of about 10,000 passengers, who will have the opportunity to enjoy expedited, automated airport screening via facial recognition and document reading technologies…” Gatwick Airport is getting ready to launch what it calls an end-to-end biometrics program that will enable travelers to use self-service luggage deposits as well as automated eGates…
Police in the UK are about to trial a mobile fingerprint matching system aimed at making it easier to identify criminals and wanted suspects in the field. It can also help officers to identify individuals in emergency situations, and to contact next of kin when appropriate. The system revolves around a mobile app, paired with…
BAM Western, a UK-based construction company, has chosen BioSite as its standard access control solutions provider. BioSite is a provider of biometric access control technology, and is focused on the construction industry. The company recently received £4 million in funding from Mobeus Equity Partners, and is evidently enjoying a rising profile. BAM Western selected BioSite after…
Heathrow Airport and British Airways are preparing to introduce automated passenger processing based on biometric facial recognition. The system will be introduced at Terminal 5 of the airport, with three gates employing the technology to compare live scans of passengers’ faces to those in their passports. Initially, the system will be used for domestic flights,…
Rail Delivery Group, a consortium of train operators in the UK, is looking ahead with a newly announced ‘blueprint for the age of the digital train’ that will set the track for biometric ticketing. The effort will proceed in stages, with the first step being the implementation of Bluetooth-infused mobile tickets. The consortium plans to…
“Professionally-taken photos are still required for initial passport applications and for those pertaining to lost or stolen passports…” The UK’s Home Office is now allowing citizens to renew their passports using pictures taken with mobile phones, reports The Telegraph. The development emerges alongside another regulatory change relieving citizens of the need to provide signatures as…
The UK government is deepening its commitment to the FIDO Alliance’s authentication standards. It has just laid out its UK National Cyber Security Strategy in an 84-page document, and adherence to FIDO is an important component, observes the FIDO Alliance’s Brett McDowell in a new post on the Alliance’s website. As McDowell notes, the UK…
A new report from the UK’s Biometrics Commissioner is highlighting the complexities of managing biometric data. In the particular case of Alastair MacGregor QC’s investigation, it has become apparent that the records of hundreds of individuals suspected to be terrorists have been deleted, due in large part to technical issues. Current legislation requires that biometric data collected…
Imprivata has launched its flagship EPCS platform, Confirm ID, in the UK. Announcing its availability in a statement, the company highlighted its security features, including its fingerprint-based login capability. In so doing, Imprivata also pointed to a serious need for such security, citing a recent Information Commissioner’s Office report on the National Health Service that…
UK telecom TalkTalk has enabled voice authentication for its four million customers, the company has announced. With a new feature called TalkSafe, customers who choose to opt-in will be able to set up a voiceprint by repeating an assigned phrase three times, after which that phrase can be used for authentication whenever they call the…
A new report from Britain’s Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material has shed light on UK authorities’ collection of biometric evidence, and raised some eyebrows. The report revealed that a national counter-terrorism database contains biometric data—DNA and fingerprint samples—of about 7,800 persons. It also illustrated the effects of 2012 legislation requiring the…
Morpho (Safran)’s SecureIdentity platform has gone live in the UK. It’s a digital identity platform supporting GOV.UK Verify, a government program aimed at providing British citizens with online access to government services. SecureIdentity operates via a mobile app; after an initial 10-minute registration process, citizens can then use their smartphones for fast, ready access to…