Biometric tests get thumbs up from IT directors

UK
businesses expect biometric technology to play an increasing role in workplace
security, research claims.

A
survey of 821 IT directors reveals that almost half of the respondents expect
to implement biometrics – such as fingerprint and eyeball scanning – within two
years.

The
technologies are currently being rolled out for passports and ID card schemes,
but are more frequently coming
up for consideration within the workplace.

The
survey, commissioned by
Hitachi Data Systems, shows that 65 per cent of firms expect to eventually see
iris scanning and fingerprint recognition systems in the office. Forty-four per
cent of respondents said they expect it to happen within two years .

More
than half the respondents (54 per cent) believe biometrics is a justifiable
security measure, though the same number said they would expect some staff or
customer resistance to the controversial technology.

Twenty-eight
per cent expressed concerns about Big Brother-style abuses of biometric data.

By Daniel Thomas

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