A Red Team Win, Corporate Changes, and Parcel Theft – Identity News Digest

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

White Hat Hackers Trick Windows Hello

A team of white hat hackers with Blackwing Intelligence have found security vulnerabilities in the fingerprint authentication system of Microsoft’s Windows Hello security platform. They were invited to look for them by Microsoft’s Offensive Research and Security Engineering (MORSE) group, and engaged in a complex reverse engineering process that ultimately allowed them to hack Dell Inspiron 15, Lenovo ThinkPad T14, and Microsoft Surface Pro X laptop devices. The crux of the issue was the vulnerability of the communications channel between a given sensor and its host device. “Microsoft did a good job designing Secure Device Connection Protocol (SDCP) to provide a secure channel between the host and biometric devices, but unfortunately device manufacturers seem to misunderstand some of the objectives,” the hackers explained in a report on their work.

Pakistani Authorities Prepare Biometric Subsidy System

Government authorities in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region are planning to implement a biometric authentication system in the delivery of subsidized wheat and flour rations to households. Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Secretary Abrar Ahmed Mirza has issued a directive to that end to the region’s Department of Food, which will work with the Punjab Information Technology Board to implement it. Beyond plans to incorporate Android devices into the system, details have not yet been revealed, nor has a timeline for the project.

Fortress Safe Faces Lawsuit Over Gun Death

Fortress Safe is now facing a lawsuit over its biometric gun safe, which was recalled from the consumer market last month in the wake of multiple complaints and the fatality of a 12-year-old boy who was able to open a safe despite not being registered in its biometric system. The lawsuit has been filed by the boy’s family. “The instructions for the safe are unreasonably confusing, and it can appear to indicate that a fingerprint has been proper(l)y recorded when, in fact, it has not, leaving the safe unlocked to anyone to touches the fingerprint scanner,” the lawsuit alleges. A lawyer representing the family said his team believes that the safe’s manufacturer “either knew or should’ve known that there were complaints” about the product before the boy’s death.

IDEX Gets New Order for Biometric Card Solution

IDEX Biometrics has received another order for its IDEX Pay solution that will see its biometric technology implemented in metal payment cards. IDEX did not name its new client, but described it as an Asia-based smart card manufacturer certified by Mastercard and Visa, and with an annual production capacity of over 30 million cards. In its recent Q3 update, IDEX noted that it has seen strong initial demand for its solution from the premium card segment, which includes metal cards. “Bringing true innovation to the affluent customers banking segment will accelerate biometric metal card market penetration,” said the company’s COO, Catharina Eklof. Cards from the latest order are expected to reach customers in Q1 of 2024.

Identity Standards Expert Is FaceTec’s Newest VP

FaceTec has brought on Andrew Hughes as the company’s new Vice President of Global Standards. Hughes has an impressive resume that speaks to his fit for the role. He has been working in board and advisory roles with the Kantara Initiative, a consortium focused on establishing standards for identity management, access control, and privacy, for almost eight years. And before making the move to FaceTec, he spent a little over two years serving as Ping Identity’s Director of Identity Standards. Before that, he was IDEMIA’s Director of Identity Architecture for a similar timeframe. Read our full story.

FPC Announces Structural Change

Ted Hansson is now Fingerprint Cards’ head of Product, thanks to a new corporate structure announced by the company. The new title for Hansson, who served as acting CEO before Adam Philpott became chief executive in September, reflects the biggest change. Philpott remains CEO, and Per Sundqvist retains his CFO position. But newly created positions remain unfilled, including head of “Strategy & Technology” and head of “Sales & Marketing”. The announcement comes after Philpott stressed the need to restructure the company and unite its technologies under a single “Fingerprints Biometrics Platform” in FPC’s Q3 update.

Feds Nab Nebraskan Woman for Parcel Theft

A Nebraskan woman was apprehended after federal police used facial recognition to identify her as the individual who had been stealing packages from several post offices in the town of Lincoln. She had somehow acquired a master key for post office mailboxes, and had been using it to access various lockers. When interviewed by the authorities, the culprit admitted to stealing packages “on a couple of occasions.” She has been sentenced to five years’ probation.

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November 22, 2023 – by Alex Perala