IT BTEC Level 3 - Unit 7 - P2

• The Retina is the rear of the eye and its configuration is unique (like fingerprints)

• While fingerprints can change if the skin is damaged, the retina stays the same from birth

• A Retina Scan takes only about 2 seconds

• Glasses or contact lenses must be removed

• Like the retina, another unique feature of our eyes is the iris

• Unlike the retina scan, the iris scan can be operated even if the person wears glasses or contact lenses (except if the lenses are coloured...)

Sign in / Sign out systems

Visitor Passes

• This is a variation of the lock and key system used in conjunction with staff and visitors identification systems

• The system works with people using SWIPE CARDS or DONGLES as keys

• The system logs sign in and sign out times automatically (time keeping and attendance)

• Each key can be programmed to give access to some areas and not other areas

• Records can be kept of who went where

• If an employee leaves a company and doesn't return the key, it can be disabled

• If an employee should have access to additional areas, the key can be re-programmed

• Usually these keys or swipe cards only contain an ID. It is the system to have a DB of IDs and to retrieve the permission level for each ID.

• If a key is lost or stolen and not disabled in time... a breach of security can happen...

• Visitor passes are useful for both staff and visitors identification (colour coding can provide additional information)
• Easy to challenge someone who doesn't have a pass
• To increase security, sometimes passes are used in conjunction with codes to be entered in digital keypads.

Fingerprint Scan

• Fingerprint recognition has been used for over 100 years in crime detection

• Some scanners use a rapid laser to detect the ridges in our fingers

• Other scanners use electro-statically sensitive pads which detect the current formed by the small quantities of water in our fingerprint

• For additional security (for example to enter the United States) fingerprint scans are used together with the passport and using fingerprints from more than one finger.

Biometrics

Unit 7 - Organisational Systems Security

Other biometric technologies

• Implementation of technology to use BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION about ourselves as a method of unique identification.

• From the ancient Greek "bios", meaning life, and "metron", meaning measure.

• New or improved biometric technologies are continuously being developed and deployed

• Voice recognition is useful for speech to text applications but not very much as a security measure.... Because voice can be recorded and played back!

• Facial recognition is being improved and applied to live CCTV footage

P2 - Describe how physical security measures can help keep systems secure

Lock and Key

Iris Scan

Retina Scan

• When essential systems are held in rooms and buildings which are secured under lock and key

• Many of these systems work with a master/sub-master system: i.e. there are keys for individual doors, for groups of doors (for example for the all the ICT rooms) and for all the doors in the building

• Normal key-cutters cannot reproduce this kind of keys

• Usually companies keep a register of keys and who has them

• Digital keypads are cheaper but... the code can be given.. so LESS SECURE!

• Lock and key security works well ONLY IF the environment is secure. (For example if there are windows that can be used to get in...)

Cable Shielding

• Data transmitted through copper cables could be read by others by detecting the variation of the magnetic field emitted by the cable when the data is being transmitted

• Shielding these copper cables can protect them from external magnetic interference but also improve the security, preventing third parties from "reading" the data by detecting the magnetic field emitted by the cable

• Fiber optic cables are much more secure and cannot be read in the same way