BIO-key International and Visualforma have secured a contract to deploy biometric identity and access management technology for a Portuguese national security agency.
The project will establish centralized identity management with several authentication options for personnel accessing the agency’s systems. BIO-key said the implementation will combine its PortalGuard and WEB-key software with Identity-Bound Biometrics, which links a user’s biometric enrollment to an identity record that can be used across authorized devices.
The deployment also includes BIO-key’s EcoID III fingerprint scanners. The company describes the devices as high-security peripherals intended for environments that require a dedicated biometric sensor rather than the fingerprint reader built into a laptop or mobile device.
Visualforma will serve as the local implementation partner. The Portuguese technology company provides integration and cybersecurity services and has been working with BIO-key to pursue government and regulated-sector identity projects in the country.
The companies did not identify the national security agency, disclose the contract value or provide a deployment timetable. Those omissions limit the public detail available about the number of users and systems covered, but the award confirms that their partnership has advanced from market development to an operational government contract.
BIO-key and Visualforma formed their Portuguese public-sector partnership to address requirements including the European Union’s NIS2 cybersecurity rules and Digital Operational Resilience Act. Both frameworks place greater emphasis on access controls and accountability for organizations operating important services.
The combination of biometric and non-biometric authentication allows the agency to apply different methods according to user, device or risk. PortalGuard supports options including passwords, one-time codes, security keys and biometrics, while WEB-key provides the biometric matching layer. Centralized policy can determine which factor or combination is required for a particular application.
The contract adds to BIO-key’s international public-sector work. The company has also been selected to build biometric authentication for the Central Bank of Jordan and has expanded its channel presence across Iberia.
Sources: BIO-key
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
