[ISN] ICSA Awards First Biometric Certification

From: mea culpa (jerichot_private)
Date: Mon Apr 27 1998 - 20:12:37 PDT

  • Next message: mea culpa: "[ISN] NASA Nabs E-mail Bomber"

    Forwarded From: Nicholas Charles Brawn <ncb05t_private>
    
    [Moderator: A while back, someone posted a great list of questions that
     focused on what it took to get (then) NCSA certified. And I can't help
     but wonder those same questions now. Do you need to be a paying member of
     the ICSA to get certified? Can non-members achieve the same
     certification? And lastly, what makes the ICSA such experts that they can
     certify these companies?]
    
    
                    ICSA Awards First Biometric Product ...
    
    BW   4/27/98 3:33 PM  
    
    ICSA Awards First Biometric Product Certifications at  Washington, D.C.
    Press Conference; Unveils Biometric Industry Buyer's  Guide
    
        Business Editors/Computer Writers
       
        WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 1998--
    
                     ICSA-The Security Assurance Company
    
        The International Computer Security Association (ICSA, formerly  NCSA)
    Monday announced the industry's first six biometric product  certifications
    at a press conference held in Washington, D.C.  
        The certification announcement follows six weeks of rigorous  testing
    by the ICSA Biometrics Certification Lab.  Also Monday, ICSA  unveiled the
    "ICSA Biometric Industry Buyer's Guide," a  comprehensive 150 page report
    which examines the state of the  biometrics industry.  
        "We have arrived at an exciting juncture in the history of the 
    biometrics industry," said Dr. Peter Tippett, ICSA president.  "As 
    evidenced by the high quality products which achieved certification  today,
    biometrics technology has arrived and is no longer only the  stuff of
    fictional James Bond movies.  
        "ICSA certification will help advance the deployment of  biometrics by
    providing customers a framework for continuous and  measurable product
    improvement."  
        A biometric is a unique, measurable characteristic or trait of a  human
    being used to automatically recognize or verify identity.  The  technology
    is becoming increasingly popular for a wide range of  applications which
    help improve personal privacy, secure electronic  commerce transactions and
    reduce crime.  
        "We're pleased to congratulate the industry's first biometrics  vendors
    to achieve ICSA certification," said Dave Harper, program  manager for
    ICSA's Commercial Biometric Developer Consortium (CBDC).
        "Achieving certification is not a trivial task.  Each vendor's  product
    was required to withstand ICSA's rigorous six-week Biometrics certification
    process, which included real-world testing against a  random sample of over
    1,000 volunteer subjects.  ICSA certification  provides customers assurance
    that each product meets our strict  standard for excellence."  
        Vendors awarded certification include Hi-Key Technologies for  their
    Biometric Access Control System fingerprint verification  product;
    iNTELiTRAK Technologies for their CITADEL GateKeeper  voiceprint
    recognition product; Miros, for their TrueFace facial  recognition
    software; Mytec Technologies for their Touchstone  fingerprint verification
    product; National Registry for their  Workstation Verification Solution Set
    fingerprint recognition  product; and SAC Technologies for their SACcat
    biometric fingerprint  identification product.  
    
    ICSA Offers Certification as a Continuous, Ongoing Process
    
        Certification is a continuous, ongoing process.  ICSA constantly 
    reviews and improves its certification criteria of products and  systems to
    adapt to the rapidly changing security landscape.  
        Although Monday's announcement marks the completion of ICSA's  first
    biometric certifications, ICSA has been certifying other  computer security
    products -- including anti-virus software,  encryption software, firewall
    software and Internet filtering  software -- for years.  ICSA now builds
    >from that knowledge, a service that can assure companies of continuous
    security improvements.  
    
    World's Leading Biometrics Vendors Participate in ICSA's CBDC
    
        ICSA's Commercial Biometrics Developers Consortium is comprised  of a
    who's who list of the world's leading biometric vendors.  As  consortium
    members, the vendors work to promote biometrics education, establish
    testing criteria and certification standards, and promote  ethical industry
    practices.  
        Today's round of certifications are the first in what will be a  series
    of ongoing certification rounds.  Future certified products  will be drawn
    >from ICSA's growing member roster.  
        The complete list of CBDC members include Biometric  Identification
    Inc., Cogent Systems Inc., Harris Semiconductor  (Division of Harris
    Corporation, NYSE: HRS), Hi-Key Technologies, IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM),
    Identicator Technology, Identix, iNTELiTRAK  Technologies, Miros Inc.,
    MYTEC Technologies Inc.  (TSE: MYT), SAC  Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: SACM),
    The National Registry Inc.   (Nasdaq: NRID), Thomson-CSF Inc. (Nasdaq:
    TCSFY), Veridicom Inc., Recognition Systems and Who?Vision.  
    
    ICSA Publishes Biometric Industry Guide
    
        ICSA Monday unveiled the much anticipated "ICSA Biometric  Industry
    Guide," a comprehensive report examining the state of the  biometrics
    industry.  The report contains four sections, including  the "Biometrics
    Explained" introductory primer, biometric customer  application stories,
    biometric product listings and a purchasing  guide which explores design
    considerations and deployment.  
       The report, along with its key research findings, was unveiled  today by
    Tippett, during his press conference presentation.  Although the printed
    version of the Biometric Industry Guide is priced at  $20.00, the 28-page
    "Biometrics Explained" chapter is available as a free public service at
    http://www.icsa.net/services/consortia/cbdc/sec1.htm.  
    
    About ICSA
     
        ICSA is an independent organization that provides worldwide  Internet
    security assurance services including TruSecure, an  integrated and
    continuous service which will reduce the risk of  damage by malicious
    attack to a company's valuable information  system.  
        TruSecure helps clients dramatically reduce Internet security  risks of
    their entire network perimeter through an ongoing assessment service.  ICSA
    was established in 1989 as the National Computer  Security Association. 
    The ICSA now has offices in North America,  Europe and Asia.  Visit the
    ICSA at www.icsa.net.  
    
    Leading Biometrics Vendors Speak Out About ICSA Biometrics Certification
    Miros Inc.
     
        "ICSA's certification of Miros' TrueFace technology demonstrates  the
    high degree of reliable security provided by our easy to use, 
    face-recognition software products,"  said Michael Kuperstein,  president
    and CEO of Miros Inc., based in Wellesley, Mass.  
        "ICSA certification provides a benchmark of solid performance for
    TrueFace technology that customers can depend upon as a source for 
    independent qualification, essential for helping the customer to 
    understand which security products measure up to expectations and  which do
    not.  
        "By providing independent testing and benchmarking, ICSA allows 
    customers to cut through the marketing hype that often surrounds an 
    emerging technology such as biometrics, and to identify products that
    provide real-world security and value for the customer."  
    
    Mytec Technologies Inc.
    
        "Successful certification by independent third-party associations like
    ICSA give biometric solution providers like Mytec a market edge  when
    talking to customers about the security, performance and quality of
    Touchstone finger pattern biometric products," said Tom Grecco,  president
    and CEO of Mytec Technologies Inc., based in Toronto.  
        "Certification of biometrics will show the world that when  vendors
    like Mytec work with industry-leading certification  associations like
    ICSA, we are putting our products in the line of  fire yet demonstrating
    our commitment to quality standards in the  biometrics industry.  ICSA is
    working to show the world that an  emerging technology like biometrics is
    ready for general market  consumption now."  
    
    National Registry Inc.
    
        "It is important that our customers know that NRI products have  been
    independently tested and certified to meet real-world standards  of
    performance," said Clint Fuller, chief operating officer of NRI,  based in
    Tampa, Fla.
        "ICSA certification is one of the key steps in establishing  market
    awareness and acceptance of biometric technology as a means of positive
    personal identification and enhanced information security.   We appreciate
    ICSA's initiative in establishing its biometric  certification program and
    are proud to be a participant in the  initial certification process."  
    
    SAC Technologies Inc.
    
        "ICSA certification is one more verification of the reliability  of our
    product," said Barry Wendt, CEO of SAC Technologies Inc.,  based in Edina,
    Minn.  
        "Certification raises the bar and separates the myths from the 
    realities.  There has been considerable market-hype that has done  much to
    discredit the biometrics industry in the past and present.  I applaud the
    efforts of the ICSA and their leadership in setting  standards for the
    biometrics industry that I'm certain will soon be a requirement for every
    biometrics company that wishes to compete  successfully in the
    marketplace."  
    
        --30--kmk/ph*
    
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