Biometrics

Recently I was shown a fingerprint reading device that allowed a user to log onto his Windows laptop without supplying credentials. The user was very proud of this device and saw it as 'the security of the future'.

I have a lot of respect for Steve Riley having met him and heard him speak at Barcelona last year. I had an interesting converstaion with him regarding weakness of multi-factor authentication (man in the middle hijack), which incidentally we have seen happen to an American Bank in the last few months.

If you have never heard one of Steve's presentations, then you can download them from Microsoft's 'It's Showtime' site. Between Steve and Jesper, they will have you questioning your solid beleifs in traditional security.

I highly recommend checking out how easy it is to defeat 'unbreakable' fingerprint' readers. They use ballistics gum and photocopies of fingerprints, Steve reckons you can use Gummy Bears, but thats just a waste of good food!