Security body supports biometrics

The Security Industry Authority (SIA), a Home Office body that regulates the private security industry, is using biometric technology to authenticate its users.

The SIA has eliminated password logins and provided its 100 users with a special mouse that scans their fingerprint before allowing access to the system.

The agency says the technology, from ISL Biometrics, will improve the security of its information.

'We pride ourselves on being open and trustworthy and we need to back that up,' said Tim O'Neill, assistant director for IT at the SIA.

'No one individual can have access to enable corruption to take place. By getting rid of passwords and using biometrics, it's physically impossible to give access to someone else.'

SIA plans to examine the potential for biometrics in complying with regulatory standards.

'This is more of a long term project because there are so many directions we have to abide by. I'm in no doubt it could be used in the way I wanted it to, but we have to make sure it could stand up to legal scrutiny,' he said.