DigitalPersona Collaborates with Intel to Optimize Biometric Security Component for Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture Platform

DigitalPersona Fingerprint Recognition Algorithm Provides Advanced Security and Convenience for Intel® XScale™ Technology Based Handheld Devices

October 08, 2002

Redwood City, CA — DigitalPersona™, the leading provider of biometric solutions for enterprise and mainstream computing, today announced a joint development effort with Intel to optimize personal and network security for devices using the Intel® Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA) platform. DigitalPersona's award winning fingerprint authentication solution will allow users of Intel PCA platform-enabled devices to conveniently and securely log on to a wide range of mobile devices with the touch of a finger. Early, joint development has reduced the processing time for a DigitalPersona fingerprint authentication on Intel PCA based systems by a factor of 20X: to less than one second.

"DigitalPersona has the best biometric algorithm available. Our development initiative with Intel demonstrates our ability to provide secure and easy access that will be required by individuals and network administrators on the upcoming generation of Intel-based mobile devices," said Fabio Righi, CEO of DigitalPersona.

"The work with DigitalPersona has resulted in impressive results," said Mark Casey, director of marketing for Intel's PCA Components Group. "This is an important step in providing convenient, secure access, for Intel PCA based devices."

"The success in optimizing DigitalPersona's algorithm demonstrates how effectively an algorithm originally targeted to Intel's desktop processors can be transitioned for use on the Intel PCA platform," said David Layman, manager of the Intel PCA Optimization Lab in Arizona. "We are pleased to see technologies such as DigitalPersona's biometric authentication running on our new generation of Intel PCA devices."

Password-based user authentication is especially problematic and cumbersome for mobile computing. Users expect their personal devices to provide instant access to their data, yet administrators worry about security.

Biometrically-enabling Intel PCA devices helps to close off this weak link in the security chain. It alleviates a significant concern for network administrators and protects device owners from unauthorized access. As a result, users can quickly access information with a touch of a fingerprint and corporate networks are protected from unauthorized access when mobile devices are lost or stolen.

About DigitalPersona

DigitalPersona provides a line of user authentication hardware and software for mainstream computing. The company was founded in 1996, is headquartered in Redwood City, California and distributes its products through OEMs, VARs, and resellers worldwide. DigitalPersona has strategic partnerships with major computer and peripherals manufacturers including Microsoft, IBM, Verisign, CheckPoint, Chicony, and DARFON. In addition to its flagship U.are.U line, the company also provides user authentication solutions for vertical markets, including Retail/POS, time and attendance, and access control. U.are.U has received numerous awards, including the "Editor's Choice" award from PC Magazine and was featured in a recent technology article in the Wall Street Journal. Further information is available at www.digitalpersona.com.