What is online backup?
Online backup is an automated solution that allows PCs, laptops and file servers to backup and recover data securely online, share files, collaborate with co-workers, store files online, and access data from a remote location. Our service automatically backs up computers via a secure internet connection to our secure data centres. Your data is secured with military-grade encryption (128-bit) for safe transmission to our off-site storage locations.

How does online backup work?
A small software agent is installed on the PC or file server to be backed up. This software helps you select which data is to be backed up, it then manages the connection to the internet and the encryption / compression of the data prior to transferring it to the secure data centres. It provides a simple method to view and restore backed up documents, as well as viewing log files to review backup activity

Scheduled or manual backup
Backups can be set for hassle-free daily backup or can be performed at any time with a single click.

Security
Security is provided through secure-sockets connections to the data centres, 128-bit encryption and account passwords.

Efficient data transmission
Compression and block-level incremental backups ensure on-going backups are efficient and non-disruptive.

Anytime, anywhere access to restore data
Backed up data can be accessed via the software agent 24 hours a day or via a web browser when travelling away from the office.

CD restore option
CD’s can be ordered containing a copy of the software agent, as well as all backed up data in case of complete PC / disk loss or for archiving purposes.

File sharing
For those with multiple PCs, it is possible to grant sharing permissions to others. This is a secure process, which allows co-workers to share key documents, service providers to share key data with clients and tele-workers to access office and home data in a protected manner.

Who uses online backup?
Online Backup is used by businesses including lawyers, accountants, consulting organisations, finance intermediaries, manufacturers, schools and universities, retail organisations, distributors, not-for-profit and service organisations.

Businesses of all sizes with a broad band internet connection can benefit, ranging from independent workers, SOHO environments, branch offices, large enterprises, local and national government.

Some larger corporate users of online data backup include Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Visa and Symantec*. However, by far the biggest group of users is the thousands of smaller businesses and professionals throughout the UK. These may have a single PC / file server being backed up. Or they may have a several users in the company benefiting from its hassle-free reliability and speed of data recovery.

* Some larger users deploy the technology in-house using their own data centres.

What are the benefits of online backup?

It is often said that online backup is cheaper, faster and better than traditional backup solutions:

Cheaper -

• No capital outlay, payments on a monthly basis
• No set up fees nor license fees - just one fixed monthly payment
• Zero or very low running costs
• No internal/external staff time needed for backup or recovery
• No tape storage costs

Faster -

• Setup and installation is simple and complete within minutes of downloading the software
• Near instant recovery of data in case of need
• No need to wait to find the right tape nor waiting for the IT person to find the time to recover lost data

Better -

• Daily automated backup provides maximum protection and no hassle
• Multiple versions of files are backed up, ensuring fine-grain protection
• Instant recovery means less down-time and less lost productivity
• Anywhere web-access to backed up files for those that travel
• Works with file servers and individual PCs / Laptops
• World-class, secure technology and data centres
• Ability to share files with co-workers, clients or home PCs

If you are not currently backing up your data, then online backup is a perfect way to avoid the hassle of associated with any alternate solution. It can be set up within minutes and ensure that your own, your business and your client data is protected.
How long does a backup take?

Backup times will largely depend upon the amount of data you have to backup and the speed of the connection you have to the internet. Most business work successfully with a broad band connection of some form (ADSL, Cable) as it is ‘always on’ allowing easy overnight backups. A dial-up modem type connection will work so long as the data volumes are not excessive (up to 1GB) and a fixed tariff ISP service is available so that you do not incur additional call charges whilst doing the backup.

In all cases the initial backup will take longer than subsequent backups, which are typically less than 5% of the original. This is because only changes are sent to the data centres and the data is efficiently compressed before sending. Users should not be concerned about the time taken for the initial backup, because the software ensures that the process is completed effectively even if the process is interrupted.

John Jackson has dedicated over 10 years to Data Backup management and technology concentrating on information security and privacy.
http://www.the-online-backup-guide.co.uk
http://www.the-online-backup-guide.co.uk

If you love video games then video game trailers are the best way to
keep up with the latest releases in video games. Not all video game
trailers are created equal, you might have to watch a few before you find a
video games that sparks your interest.

A great place to go to do that is Game Exposure. Game Exposure has all
the hottest video game trailers online, all free for you to download
and watch from your own home computer. Video game trailers on this
website are rated, so you don´t have to waste your time with video game
trailers that just aren´t good.

Video game trailers are the perfect solution when you´re looking for a
new game to occupy your time. Sometimes it can be hard to decide when
you´re looking for a new video game to buy and play. With the latest
video game trailers from Game Exposure, you´ll be able to get a good idea
as to what´s good and what isn´t. If you find a trailer that sparks
your interest, then you´ll probably eventually decide to try the game
itself. This is the inevitable purpose of video game trailers, to excite
you about the game and hopefully get you to actually purchase and play
the game.

Game Exposure is one of the top places online to view game trailers.
They are free and super easy to download - just click on one that you
like and start watching. After you´re done you can rate the trailer based
on your experience - if you like it give it a good rating so other
people can enjoy it too.

If you like to win free video games and consoles (who doesn´t!?) then
you´ll be impressed with Game Exposure. Sign up for their monthly
contests to win exciting game related prizes, all for free.

Game Exposure offers a great creative outlet for gamers worldwide.
There´s also the option of creating your own custom gaming content and
uploading it for others to enjoy, too.

If you have a favorite game trailer that isn´t found on Game Exposure
for one reason or another, upload it for everyone to see. It´s easy and
fun to share your favorite trailer on Game Exposure with your friends.

Written by George Anderson. Find all the latest Game Videos video game trailers or upload your own
at Game Exposure.

Tape drives are installed in the cleanest environment and require high quality, cleaning on a regular basis, and proper handling of the tape media. Improper or poor usage, handling, and storing of tape drives lead to tape drive corruptions or damages. Tape drives are developed to be operated in clean environment; dust particles, fibers and airborne particles can cause damage to the tape drive. The tape drives need clean environment because when a tape is installed to a tape drive, the clearance between the heads and the tape is measured in microns thus the particles can damage the tape or the head if they come in contact with either. The tape drive is generally used to save and restore system data files, to archive important records and to distribute operating system software upgrades. The needs are great but also are the consequences.

Tape media can get damage or corrupt due to mishandling, improper usage, damaged tape headers, erased tape drives, broken or de-spooled backup tapes, failed backup systems and tape libraries, unexpected system shutdowns or system failures. In this scenario, tape data recovery proves effective and user can always get back the lost data. There are two primary tape data recovery procedures – Physical and Logical. Physical data recovery comes into existence when there is physical problem with the tape media. This type of data recovery includes dealing with deteriorating magnetic coatings, broken tapes, twisted or folded tapes, cracked or sealed cartridges and also the tape media affected due to fire, water, mud, debris etc.

Logical data recovery is the most difficult and expensive data recovery process. This process includes recovery of files logically from the tape drives. Data which was successfully recorded on the media but now cannot be read for unknown reasons is recovered. This type of data recovery involves usage of tape recovery software. The tape data recovery software effectively restores and recovers the lost and inaccessible files and folders. The tape recovery utilities like Kernel tape recovery software effectively recovers missing, lost, deleted file (s) and folder (s) from all types of corrupt, damaged tapes like DLT, LTO, AIT, DAT and every other tape media type.

The author is a technical writer for Nucleus Data Recovery, the leading provider of data recovery software, data recovery services, tape recovery software, email recovery.

Visit http://www.taperecoverysoftware.com/ for more details.

Do you know that emails you get from unknown senders are treated as SPAM after running them through a SPAM control filter?

This filter can be in real time, this means it scans every email before forwarding it to the email client. The others are offline SPAM filters which are built-in the email clients like MS Outlook, Eudora or any other reliable program.

Have you ever thought why so many emails have started to drop in your mailbox from peoples you never met before? More and more people started pushing emails containing information about their products. This boomed up so much that the service providers like Hotmail, Yahoo , AOL, Google etc are still struggling to get rid or reduce the amount of SPAM entering a user inbox.

The same pattern is followed by the hackers. They introduce some kind of malicious code into an email and will push it across the internet to several emailing hosts which would later spread the same mail to almost every user’s mailbox. Such emails are presented in an attractive way so that the user opens it on his/her computer and the malicious code triggers a reaction. Basically, you would send your personal/private information to the hacker.

Another way of hacking into inbox is via Spyware, which is done by installing a program on the user’s machine without its own wish and starting to show up advertisements.

SpyNoMore protects your computer either at home or at work. The software does not take more than a minutes to install and has a very user friendly interface where you can configure it to record browsed websites. You can protect confidential content from any forms of adware, spyware, Trojans or key loggers.

SpyNoMore also protects your data from dangerous key loggers which can read your key hits and store them in a text file which would later be sent over to the hacker. Trojans are another form of data eaters which would act more like a key logger but at the same times can be programmed to trigger its effects at a schedule interval.

Trojans are very hard to detect and are the most dangerous threats to the users. No one can avoid to be hit by attackers, but with SpyNoMore you are protected as it would detect and block all attempts made to sneak to your computer.
SpyNoMore guards your identity and brings back your computer original performance. It represents a smart, intelligent and powerful spyware protection solution.

Ted Peterson writes for CoreDownload, a shareware archive where you can find utilities like SpyNoMore that will help you fight spyware.

My first proxy was hosted using hostgator’s shared sever.

As you can imagine, Hostgator banned me and asked me to not come back ever again along with deciding not to refund any of my money back. That is when I knew I needed to get my own dedicated server.

Fortunately I paid only $.01 for the first month, so it wasn’t a big deal. I was able to compensate my loses, by selling off my website for $100 before it lost any traffic. That was my first proxy site. After that, I decided I need to record what I did everyday or I would lose focus on what kept me successful.

In this article I will talk about the 5 most secret techniques to running a successful proxy site.

1. Monetize your Site
You can monetize in many different methods. My favorite method is to put adsense on the main page. With the mass amount of proxies on the net, you would expect the CPC to be lower, but since the ads are targeted you will achieve high CTR. Approximately 5-6% would be good depending on ad placement. Here are my suggestions for ad placement:
Two 250×250 blocks above the URL, and then a 728×20 block right before the Browse button.

2. Avoid blending your ads
It’s been proven that CTR will increase by using bright colors, because kids are looking for information and they do not care if it’s blended or not. That’s how advertisers make a lot of money using “click me!” ads which entices a lot of kids these days.

3. Use ads on proxified pages
Use adbrite for the proxified pages, and Adversal for the pop ups. Those two alone can help make up for your hosting costs if you used correctly. Spend time to make sure that they’re working correctly and that adbrite will collect relevant information. DO NOT USE ADSENSE or you’ll be banned.

4. Link Building and Traffic
Do digg.com, and all the other social bookmarking service. Pay people to do them for you. Also do them for topsites. If you get more back links, Google gives more important to your page, and same with yahoo, and microsoft, and all the other search engines like inktomi. It’s [b]good[/b] to link exchange with the same proxy sites, because, when one site gets blocked, they will go to the other site! Put the links on the main page, and topsites at the bottom of the page. Topsites can bring good traffic, but they won’t if your page is last on the site. Remove topsites that don’t bring any traffic, and remember to add them back if you think you could beat the other sites in terms of page impressions.

5. Get a WHM RESELLER, and host your own proxies

It’ll come the time when you make your first proxy, and then find that it’s very successful and you are earning $1-$2 a day from Adsense. You will want to create 20+ more sites (and I’m being very realistic). So I recommend to get a WHM Reseller package from hostgator. There are coupons which you can use to get $10 off the entire package. I recommend a reliable site which will pay you back if you are not satisfied with Hostgator’s service. The reason you will want to get a WHM Reseller package, is because you can host multiple sites. You will be making $30+ a day from adsense, which will be enough to cover costs of hosting. Also you have complete control over your sites.

Once you have a lot of traffic coming in, link to proxy dot org, and you will be receiving traffic from them daily. Also pay for Myspace bulletins, and post on forums, since they are cheap way to achieve great traffic. The best way is to put your tag in a signature on the forums you post in. Google is pretty lenient about proxy sites, but still - DO NOT ever CLICK on your own ADS.

I have a lot more tips but I feel it’s unnecessary to divulge them all, in one post. I hope these advice is enough to help those who started out on the wrong path, and for those who are new to the proxy worlds. We need more proxies, so that kids can go on blocked websites at school. After building your proxies, promotion is really cheap, or nearly free. It’ll spread like wildfire through myspace bulletins and word of mouth. Trust me on this one.

Also, one more tip, DO NOT try hosting your proxies on a shared hosting plan, unless you want the administrator to kick you out. I paid only $.01 for hosting, and I got away with it for one and a half months, but it doesn’t mean you will be able to either.

Steve Whites is the owner of many established proxy sites. His site at http://www.new-hostgator-reviews.com shows you step by step how on how to try hostgator WHM RESELLER for only $.01, plus he offers a 90 day money back guarantee of $30.82.

Email is more and more in the news these days, is near the center of the current US Attorney firing scandal, and for good reason. A substantial amount of communication flows via email, which can be an efficient form of communicating memos and other intercourse. Email is nearly instantaneous, costs almost nothing, and has in large part replaced the paper memo. Email provides for a path of inquiry that previously was unavailable to investigators for a paper document can be shredded or burned while email leaves a trail even when deleted. Furthermore, unlike a piece of paper, the email itself reveals who sent it and who received it, when and where. As Senator Patrick Leahy says (quoted by Michael Abramowitz on April 14, 2007 in 4 years of Rove e-mails are missing, GOP admits) “You can’t erase e-mails, not today…They’ve gone through too many servers. Those e-mails are there –“ There are primarily three kinds of email in common use. One is the email client program, a genre that includes Microsoft Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, Macintosh Mail, and Netscape Mail. The second type is the prevalent Microsoft Outlook, a very different program from the same company’s Outlook Express. The third is commonly known as web mail or Internet mail.

Email client programs store data mostly in text form - words people understand, as distinct from cryptic computer language. In general, all of the individual emails in a single mailbox (such as the “In’ or “Sent” mailboxes) are stored together as a single file.

When mail is deleted, it is truncated from the mailbox file, but its data is not actually removed from the computer at this point. Each file has an entry in an index that is something like a table of contents. When an entire mailbox is deleted, part of its entry the file index is removed, but the actual body of the file does not disappear from the computer. The area on the computer’s hard disk that holds the file gets marked as available to be reused, but the file’s contents may not get overwritten, and hence may be recoverable for some time, if at all.

The computer forensics specialist may then search the ostensibly unused portion of the computer for text that may have been part of an email. The expert can look for names, phrases, places, or actions that might have been mentioned in an email. The email contains internal data that tells where it has been and who it has been to.

For instance, I just sent my wife a 17-word message entitled, “Where’s this email from?” She replied, “Darling, Surely you must mean, “From where is this email?” Love, Your grammatically correct wife.” - 15 word reply. Yet when I look underneath what is displayed on the screen, I see the email actually contained 246 words. Where did it all come from?

The extra information included a return path with my beloved’s America Online (AOL) email address, her computer’s IP address (“IP” stands for Internet Protocol” - every computer that is hooked up to a network has an IP address), the IP addresses of three other computers, both email addresses repeated another three times each, the names of three or four mail servers, and four date / time stamps. Oh, and lest I forget, there’s an ad for AOL at the end.

If I forwarded or copied the email, it would have more information, most notably the email addresses of the other people to whom I copied or forwarded the message.

By looking at the IP addresses and doing a little more investigation, I could tell the approximate physical location of the computer with the given IP addresses. I could see who else was involved in the string of communication, and approximately where they were.

In an investigation, if a judge saw the multiple email addresses indicating that these other people might be involved, and that the original party was not forthcoming with all of the information requested, the judge might then allow all of the other computers accessible to all of the other email addresses to be inspected. Then the great fishing expedition could begin in officially sanctioned earnest.

Thus we read such headlines as this one seen on the ThinkProgress website on April 12, 2007: White House Originally Claimed RNC Emails Were Archived, Only ‘Handful’ Of Staffers Had Accounts. In a press conference, White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino said that just a handful of White House staffers had RNC (Republican National Committee) email addresses. It may have been in the face of the inevitable discovery, that the White House was forced to admit that more than 50 top officials (from Officials’ e-mails may be missing, White House says - Los Angeles Times April 12, 2007) had such RNC email addresses – that’s 10 handfuls by most counts.

In his article Follow the e-mails on Salon.com Sidney Blumenthal says, “The offshoring of White House records via RNC e-mails became apparent when an RNC domain, gwb43.com (referring to George W. Bush, 43rd president), turned up in a batch of e-mails the White House gave to House and Senate committees earlier this month. Rove’s deputy, Scott Jennings, former Bush legal counsel Harriet Miers and her deputies strangely had used gwb43.com as an e-mail domain. The production of these e-mails to Congress was a kind of slip.” Indeed. This is exactly the kind of information that computer forensics experts like to have to assist in their process of electronic discovery. In my own e-discovery work, I have found more than a half million unexpected references on a single computer.

Investigators may now be able to search the computers at the RNC, in the White House, and at the locations that host computers for both, as well as those laptops and Blackberries used by staffers of these organizations. The search will be on for any occurrence of “gwb43” – a search that is likely to turn up more email addresses and more email, whether deleted or not.

I have mentioned three types of email at the beginning of this article but only talked about the one that has the most promise for turning up deleted data. The second type is

represented by Microsoft Outlook. Outlook stores data all in one encrypted file on a user’s computer, on a mail server or on both, depending upon the configuration of the mail server. All mailboxes are in the same encrypted file. Computer forensics specialists have tools to allow the decoding of this file in a fashion that can often bring back many or all of the deleted emails. The email server may also have backups of the users’ mail.

Web mail, where the mail is stored on a remote server (such as on AOL’s large farm of mail servers) may leave little or nothing stored on the user’s own computer. Here the user is essentially looking at a web page that is displaying mail. Such mail servers are so dynamic that any deleted email is likely to have been overwritten in a matter of minutes. Blumenthal references the advantages that such systems may have for those who wish to hide information in Follow the e-mails thus: “As a result, many aides have shifted to Internet E-mail instead of the White House system. ‘It’s Yahoo!, baby,’ says a Bushie.””

On the other hand, while such email content may be hard to find once deleted, logs of access to the email accounts are likely to be retained for quite a long time and may be of some use in an investigation.

The upshot is that, unlike paper documents, email may be widely broadcast, even by accident. Also unlike paper, when shredded, it is likely that copies exist elsewhere; to paraphrase Senator Leahy, electronic data can be near immortal. A further difference is that email contains data that tells who drafted it, when, and where it went. The current US Attorney scandal has shown us once again that email is not only a valuable tool for communication, but has the benefit (or detriment, depending on your perspective) of providing some additional transparency to the otherwise closed rooms of our leaders.

Steve Burgess is a freelance technology writer, a practicing computer forensics specialist as the principal of Burgess Forensics, and a contributor to the upcoming Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases, 5th Edition by Moenssens, et al. Mr. Burgess may be reached at http://www.burgessforensics.com or via email at steve@burgessforensics.com

For along time before the Internet came along you could have lost you software drivers disk and you were lost with an unusable computer peripheral or if you were really unlucky, more than one.

These day’s your computer don’t have to be a computer that starts up, runs, edits video’s or whatever you wish to do with it and all the help of the internet or as some people call it, the World Wide Web.

1st Option

If you don’t have the Internet, then get a family member or a friend to go online and do a search on Google, for example, I have a printer “Epson Stylus c86″ that my Father give to me but he never gave me the software driver disk, now I can go along to Google and type in “Epson Stylus c86 Printer drivers” and I’ll be taken to the search page where near the top of the listings, if not at the top, will be the Epson website, http://www.epson.co.uk, I would then look at their support pages for the relevant driver for my particular printer.

2nd Option

I really like this option, as it houses a lot of software drivers in the one place.

I became a member of this particular website because I was looking for a driver for something like my Father’s scanner, I had done the 1st Option as mentioned above for the this specific driver, but it turned out to be a very hard one to track down, so I went to Google and typed in “drivers” and I think the first link it give me was to a website call “Drivers Guide” at http://www.driverguide.com, that website has been the best website I’ve ever used and I still use it quiet a lot today.

Hugh Fraser
http://www.millcomputing.ukpc.net

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center have provoked in-depth discussion and study of existing security measures, their deficiencies, and how to enhance security to prevent similar terrorist attacks from occurring in the future. Biometric technology has risen to the top of the list as a possible solution. The government is not the only entity exploring biometric security systems. The financial services industry see biometrics as a way to curb identity theft. Biometrics are intrinsic physical characteristics used to identify individuals. The most commonly used biometric is fingerprints but others include, handprints, facial features, iris & retinal scans, and voice recognition.

Soon after 9/11 there were calls for the issuance of national ID cards containing biometric information on an RFID chip implanted on the card. The argument is that national ID cards will increase security by identifying individuals with their unique fingerprints which are much more difficult to counterfeit than standard photo ID cards. There is also a movement toward biometric passports. It looks like biometric passports are coming soon. National ID cards may follow.

Biometric identification is nothing new. Humans have been identifying other humans biometrically since the beginning of time. You recognize people you know by their facial features, their voice, and other biometric features. What’s new is introducing technology into the mix that compares a given biometric with a stored database of biometrics to verify the identity of an individual. An individual place their finger on a fingerprint scanner and the image is compared with the database to verify the person’s identity. Promising as it is, biometric technology has not been without hiccups but biometrics are advancing quickly and becoming more and more prevalent in security systems.

Fingerprints are the most commonly used biometric identifiers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) conducted a study that showed single fingerprint biometric systems had a 98.6 percent accuracy rate. The accuracy rate rose to 99.6 percent when 2 fingerprints were used and an almost perfect 99.9 percent when 4 or more fingerprints were used. The study results show that biometric identification is nearly perfect which is not surprising given the uniqueness of human fingerprints.

The US-VISIT program, which is an acronym for United States Visitor & Immigrant Status Indicator Technology, currently requires foreign visitors to the US to present a biometric passport containing 2 fingerprints and a digital photo for identification purposes before being granted admission to the U.S. Of course the biometrics are compared against a vast network of government databases full of known and suspected terrorists and other criminals.

On the surface biometric technology may sound like a panacea but it’s use has raised significant privacy concerns that need to be addressed. Here are six major privacy concerns: storage, vulnerability, confidence, authenticity, linking, and ubiquity.

Critics wonder how the data will be stored and how vulnerable it will be to theft or abuse. Confidence issues center around the implications of false positives and false negatives. Can the biometric data be used to link to other information about the individual such as marital status, religion, employment status, etc.? And finally ubiquity. What are the implications of leaving electronic “bread crumbs” to mark a trail detailing every movement an individual makes?

Until these issues are addressed, privacy advocates will lead a charge to resist biometric technology claiming it as a way for the government to assume a “Big Brother” type of rule as described in George Orwell’s novel 1984. But protest as they may, it’s likely national security concerns and the ability of biometric systems to enhance the security of US border and possibly prevent another major terrorist attack will win out over privacy concerns.

Thomas Boggo is a freelance writer specializing in emerging technologies. You can read more articles on Biometric Technology & Biometric Security Systems at http://www.105biometrictechnology.com/

Maybe you’re listening to your iPod right now while surfing the net but that’s not really very profitable, now is it? Who knew that the little piece of plastic you bought from Apple that keeps skipping and locking up actually has potential for putting some fun extra cash in your wallet.

#1 CREATE A PODCAST Got something on your mind that you think people want to hear about? Turn your iPod into a digital recorder with a universal Mic Adapter. If it’s cool enough, maybe you’ll get some sponsors or sell ads on your site.

#2 RECORD AN ALBUM Crank out the hottest new lo-fi indie record. You could use the line in on a mic adapter or plug into Belkin’s new TuneStudio into using your iPod to record an album.

#3 BECOME A PUBLIC SPEAKER Pitch your project or give seminars by using your iPod for PowerPoint presentations using the software product ipresent it.

#4 DJ AT A CLUB OR HOUSEPARTY Well, it’s not exactly DJing in my book since you aren’t mixing but dueling iPod mixers have been around for awhile now and if you think you can bring the house down then by all means, shake your money maker.

#5 BE A BARTENDER Make the swankiest new martini or the perfect Long Island by downloading Pocket Bar & Grill and have instant access to 750 mix drink recipes.

Oh and chin up if you can’t write a song or speak in public if your life depended on it. I suppose you could always sell your iPod on Ebay, Craigslist or to your funky smelling emo neighbor!

Read about more creative ways to make money online and personal finance visit

http://www.somewhereoverthedebt.com

For more information about personal finance and making money online, please visit Somewhere Over the Debt

With the increasing acceptance and use of biometric technology particularly in the government, financial services, and health care sectors, biometrics have recently been getting a lot of attention. It’s not unusual for people to have questions about new technologies. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.

1. What exactly is biometric technology?

Biometric technology involves the use of biometrics to identify individuals. Biometrics are intrinsic physical characteristics. The most commonly used biometric is fingerprints but there are many others including handprints, eye scans, voice recognition, etc.

Biometric technology has gotten the most attention as part of a security system replacing the standard keys, passwords, and security badges commonly used today and replacing them with a biometric. The advantage is a more secure system since it’s much easier to steal or duplicate a key, password, or security badge than it is a fingerprint.

2. Will cut or scraped fingers cause identification issues with biometric systems?

No. The template stored in the biometric database is not the whole fingerprint, just enough to be able to verify identity. Several sections of the finger are stored so if one section is cut or scraped another section can be used for verification. In addition most systems allow enrollees to scan a finger from each hand just in case the finger most often used for identification is not available for scanning if it’s in a cast or has a band-aid covering it.

3. Do biometric systems store images of fingerprint?

No. As alluded to in the previous answer. Only digital representations of specific points on the fingerprint are stored, not the entire image. That provides security because there is no fingerprint image to compromise to begin with. The automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) used by law enforcement do store an image of the fingerprint for obvious reasons but biometric systems used for security purposes do not.

4. Can the stored fingerprint templates be used by law enforcement?

No. Please see the answer to the previous question. Biometric security systems do not store the entire image of the fingerprint only specific points which can be used to identify an individual when compared to the fingerprint placed on the finger scanner. After an individual’s identity is verified, the image is discarded and the template will not contain enough information to create an image of the fingerprint.

5. What are the advantages of biometric systems?

Biometric security systems provide a higher level of security because authorized users are not required to remember passwords or PIN codes which can be forgotten or compromised. There is also no need for keys or smart cards which can be lost, stolen, or misplaced. Individuals are identified by fingerprints. When is the last time you heard of a fingerprint being lost or stolen? Sure fingerprints can be lifted of common items such as glasses but biometric systems also ensure the finger presented is from a living human so a plaster cast or photograph won’t fool the system.

There is much more to biometric systems than can be covered in this brief article and biometric technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, it’s difficult to keep pace with it but it should be simple to see the advantages offered by biometric systems over conventional security systems. And biometric home security systems are already being produced so it won’t be long until you’ll be using fingerprint scanners to gain entry into your home and automobile.

Thomas Boggo is a freelance writer specializing in emerging technologies. You can read more articles on Biometric Technology & Biometric Security Systems at http://www.105biometrictechnology.com/