There are new horizons for identity and access management (ITWeb - South Africa)
Far from seeing the use of my biometric self as some Orwellian, Big Brother intrusion into the sanctity of my identity – which most people have anyway handed over to a more or less gimmicky variation on the dumber-than-dumb concept of a passcode – I consider it to be an accurate, respectful recognition of who I am and the access privileges and trust that I have earned.In the final analysis, identity management is about people. We say this all the time around here because we believe that it can't be said often enough. Recognizing this truth keeps us focused on the fact that if the systems we design don't work for the people who have to use them, they can't help organizations achieve their goals. If they don't work for everyone, they don't work.
As to those naysayers who seek to undermine the integrity and competency of modern biometrics, I suggest they reflect a little more deeply on the glaringly absurd inadequacies of cards, PINs and passwords – all of which are routinely forgotten, lost, shared and stolen.
Instead of regurgitating a lot of heavily-chewed myths about why biometrics are so flawed, isn't it perhaps time to talk to some of the local vendors that are running biometric-based systems that safely, securely and accurately control physical access for millions, yes millions, of people at thousands of South African companies?
Because these local biometric vendors have created in SA one of the world's largest and most diverse markets for a form of authentication that recognises people for what they are – people.
