BIO-key introduces palm biometrics with new mobile app

BIO-key has released a new mobile app with biometric palm scanning capabilities.

Dubbed BIO-key MobileAuth with PalmPositive, the new solution is available on both Android and iOS devices and features multi-factor authentication (MFA).

According to BIO-key, PalmPositive also introduces the concept of Identity-Bound Biometrics (IBB), a form of identification designed for remote workforces, third-party access, Customer IAM (CIAM), and passwordless workflows as part of BIO-key’s PortalGuard Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platform. The company notes the observation from the 2020 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report that more than 4 of 5 breaches depend on weak or stolen passwords.

“With the obvious deficiencies in traditional authentication methods, we believe it is time to challenge the status quo,” said Michael DePasquale, chairman, and CEO of BIO-key International.

The new app allows users to bind their biometric (palm scan) to a digital identity that is both cross-platform and secured by repeated liveness detection checks. Users can authenticate themselves on multiple devices, including new ones, for enhanced availability and digital identity integrity.

“While we still provide customers with a full suite of flexible authentication options, we felt it was important to introduce a different way to authenticate that costs less and provides the security controls enterprises need without sacrificing convenience,” DePasquale added.

From a technical standpoint, BIO-key claims that a palm scan is up to 400-times more accurate than common user-controlled device-based biometric authentication methods.

“By launching BIO-key MobileAuth with PalmPositive as a form of Identity-Bound Biometrics, customers can have the confidence that their multi-factor authentication and passwordless workflows will distinguish legitimate users from hackers,” the BIO-key CEO concluded.

Moving forward, the company confirmed voice and facial recognition will be added to MobileAuth before the end of 2021, to increase the solution’s security and authentication options further.

BIO-key has been growing steadily in the first half of 2021, closing a number of partnerships with various colleges, a Kenyan firm, and security-focussed company Appsian.

Article Topics

BIO-key  |  biometric liveness detection  |  biometrics  |  identity verification  |  identity-bound biometrics  |  mobile app  |  MobileAuth  |  multifactor authentication  |  palm biometrics  |  palm recognition  |  PortalGuard  |  stocks