Privaris Launches World’s First Personal Biometric Device for Secure Access to Multiple Facilitiy

Charlottesville, VA – The new key-fob-sized device, named plusID™, authenticates a user’s identity with their fingerprint and enables secure access to buildings and other physical facilities, local and remote computers and networks, and online or onsite financial transactions.

The plusID incorporates features not available in other biometric security products:

  • plusID protects its user’s personal privacy by retaining all fingerprint information in a secure processor in the device, not in a “centralized” biometric database.
  • plusID eliminates the enterprise’s liability and maintenance costs associated with implementing and securing a biometric database.
  • plusID can be used in place of traditional access cards with existing reader infrastructure, making the addition of biometrics fast and cost-effective.
  • plusID is the first implementation of the Broadcom® BCM5890 secure processor, the world’s most advanced secure processor with contactless technology, specifically designed to secure personal authentication and eliminate security vulnerabilities.
  • As a mobile, self-contained authentication device, plusID increases user convenience and privacy while eliminating the need for disparate, expensive, biometric security systems.

Barry W. Johnson, Co-founder, President, and CEO of Privaris, Inc. believes the plusID biometric fob introduces a new era of convenience, privacy and security for companies and their employees. “The plusID can help protect buildings, computer networks and financial transaction systems from thieves, hackers and terrorists. It also eliminates employee frustration with having to carry multiple access cards and remember multiple passwords,” said Johnson.

“plusID fulfills our corporate vision of providing biometric technology that fits easily into our everyday lives. Our partners, Broadcom Corporation and HID® Global – who are market leaders and innovators in security access technology and products – share this vision. Their collaboration was important in bringing such a strong product to market,” said Johnson.

plusID’s compatibility with existing security technology from HID, Indala®, Kantech, and SARGENT® means that plusID is a cost-effective biometric addition that requires no changes to existing security infrastructures.

The device, which is Bluetooth™, proximity RF, and USB enabled, includes a fingerprint sensor, buttons for application selection, LED status indicators, an LCD for one-time password display, a USB connector, on-board fingerprint processing, cryptographic services, a rechargeable battery, and credential transmission capability at multiple RF frequencies.

Michael M. Kohonoski, Chief Operating Officer of Privaris stated that plusID’s specification and pricing is aimed at broad application across physical and logical security markets. “plusID plays directly into the trend toward converged IT and physical security solutions and the increasing security needs of commercial enterprises, governments and our society as a whole.”

Privaris has collaborated with the largest players in the security industry, including:

  • Broadcom Corporation-a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications that offers a range of security processor solutions. plusID incorporates the first implementation of Broadcom’s BCM5890 secure processor, the world’s most advanced secure processor with contactless technology specifically designed to secure personal authentication and eliminate security vulnerabilities. “Broadcom and Privaris both recognize the need to provide a trusted environment for physical and logical access authentication,” said Ford Tamer, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom’s Enterprise Networking Group. “By leveraging the high level of integration and security of the BCM5890, the plusID device uniquely addresses the market’s needs for privacy and security at a mainstream price point.
  • HID Global Corporation-a leading manufacturer in the access control industry, serving customers worldwide with proximity and contactless smart card technologies; central station managed access controllers; secure and custom card solutions; digital identity and photo card management software solutions; and RFID electromechanical locking cylinders. HID will provide the idBank™ which enables the secure programming of HID proximity card formats into the plusID device. “When increased security is required, plusID will provide HID proximity and fingerprint technology in a single mobile device,” said Debra Spitler, HID Global’s Executive Vice President of HID Connect. “Multi-authentication of identity will allow end-users to enhance their security program while leveraging the use of their existing installed base of HID proximity readers and cards.”

Product Version Announced today, plusID75 is the first product in Privaris’ new plusID line of self-contained biometric security products. In the coming months, Privaris will announce new plusID variations to address long-range vehicle gate access, government security initiatives (such as Personal Identity Verification or PIV), and authentication for financial and retail applications.

Availability plusID75 will begin shipping in August 2006, with full production in October 2006.

Technical Features Each plusID biometric fob:

  • is compatible with 125 kHz proximity technology, 13.56 MHz contactless smart card technology (ISO 14443A, 14443B, 15693 and NFC), Bluetooth™, and USB
  • is compatible with existing security technology from HID, Indala, Kantech and SARGENT
  • supports one-time-password (OTP) implementations
  • supports three-factor authentication for securing IT assets
  • stores up to 512K of user credentials (including other biometric templates to facilitate multiple biometric authentication methods)
  • is designed to meet the FIPS 140-2 Level 3 security rating for tamper-resistance to ensure the security of on-board biometrics and other user credentials.

Third party applications for the device can be easily developed using the Privaris application programming interface (API).