When Qualcomm CEO Irwin Jacobs got his laptop stolen last month at a conference, the technology to protect his information may already have been at his fingertips.
By using a biometric fingerprint scanner, Jacobs could have added a layer of security to his laptop, which he said contained proprietary information that was possibly valuable to foreign governments.
Jacobs' loss is a cautionary tale for notebook computer users, and yet another reason it's vital to use fingerprint scanners, which have come down in price and come up in efficiency, according to Don Meyer of notebook maker Compaq.
"Laptops are getting smaller, and so many professionals use them while they travel. It's so easy to just leave them behind in a taxi or have them stolen," Meyer said.
Jacobs still hasn't recovered his laptop. At the time of the theft, it was reported that he was only using password protection, which Compaq's Meyer said is just not enough anymore. With a fingerprint scanner in place, it's close to impossible to gain access to the computer's information unless you're the owner and the print matches up.
That's why Compaq (CPQ) released a fingerprint scanner last week that costs $180 and fits any notebook computer. And unlike other scanners that attach by a cord, this one -- made by Identix -- comes on a card that plugs directly into the side of the computer. The small plate where the user's finger is scanned retracts into the notebook.
While there are a variety of biometric identification systems available today -– face, voice, retinal and iris scans among them -– fingerprint scanners are poised to dominate the market for PC security, according to analyst Jackie Fenn, of the Gartner research firm.
"They're certainly the most established and the most proven of this kind of technology," she said. "Iris scanners are the most accurate, but fingerprint scanners have come way down in price."
The scanners work by using a tiny camera to capture the print's image. Then, a series of algorithms convert the image into a unique "map" of the print's twists, turns and bifurcations. This map is encrypted and stored in the computer. Most scanners cost between $100 and $150.
IBM is also touting fingerprint identification as a great way for businesses to protect their information.
Making like a rock band, the company (IBM) is conducting a 25-city world tour promoting its PC security package, of which fingerprint scanners are an integral part.
The scanners are made by digitalPersona, and plug by a cord into desktop PCs. IBM said it would offer the scanners to laptop users soon.
DigitalPersona said its scanners are not hack-proof, but are close to it. That's because the scanner encrypts the fingerprint data even before it is transmitted to the hard drive, and because someone would have to develop a fake finger to trick the scanner.
"To combat this, you can set your computer to memorize more than one fingerprint, or a particular succession of prints -- for example, your left index followed by your right thumb," digitalPersona's George Myers said. "It's not likely someone could know your succession, and even if they did, that's a lot of finger molds to make."
Fake fingers aside, Fenn said another legitimate concern with the scanners is privacy.
"If someone gets a hold of your fingerprint data and starts using it, it's not as if you can just get another fingerprint, like you can a password," she said. "That's why it's a good idea to use more than one security measure, like a fingerprint scan and a personal identification number or password."
