Ohio Sheriff’s Office Uses Biometrics-Based Identity/Access Management System

  • Oct 07, 2008

BIO-key International Inc. and its partner Sig-Tec recently announced the successful deployment of a fingerprint biometrics-based identity and access management system at the Mahoning County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office.

The Mahoning agency is one of the first in the nation to use fingerprint biometrics instead of passwords to secure computer workstations and the software applications and databases that reside on them.

With Sig-Tec's identity and access management (IdAM) software solution for strong authentication and password management integrated with BIO-key's Vector Segment Technology (VST) toolset, for fingerprint biometrics capture and verification, authorized staff can now access the Mahoning County Sheriff's office network and applications quickly and securely with the touch of their finger.

Administrators faced with the challenge of reducing IT costs are using the partnership's biometric solution to reduce help desk workload, eliminating the need to handle forgotten passwords and password resets. Additionally, the solution is more secure than conventional passwords and is preferred by users since it is more convenient than managing a multitude of complex passwords that require constant change in order to satisfy IT security requirements.

Biometric authentication also removes the possibility of passwords being inappropriately shared, forgotten or stolen.

In the first deployment phase, the enhanced authentication process will be used within Mahoning County's correctional facilities, where secure access to systems and data is especially critical. More than 300 enrolled correctional officers and civilian staff now use fingerprint-based log on to access any workstation within the complex that encompasses thirteen buildings.

"The solution was amazingly quick to install and configure," said Charles Van Dyke, deputy officer in the department. "Sig-Tec's project management and support team led by Paul Kobs, together with my staff, completed the job remotely within about eight hours."

Sig-Tec's Single Private Desktop and AppStarter software products secure the workstation and allow for biometric authentication for network and application access. The biometric credentials are captured at enrollment with BIO-key's patented VST identification software. Because VST stores each user's fingerprint as a mathematical template, the user's fingerprint image isn't stored on any computer or in any database -- further protecting security as well as privacy. The end-user simply puts their finger on the KSI keyboard with an integrated UPEK biometric fingerprint reader for access into both the network and authorized applications at any workstation throughout the facility.

"In addition to increased security and improved workflow, another benefit of this solution is that it will reduce password management and password reset support calls by more than 90 percent," said Sig-Tec's national sales manager, John McGuire.

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