Gemalto teams up for biometric security platform launch
Four firms have joined forces to introduce the “first” end-to-end security architecture for biometric fingerprint authentication at Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona.
Gemalto, Fingerprint Cards, Precise Biometrics and STMicroelectronics say they are offering original equipment manufacturers (OEM) the opportunity to deploy this feature in the latest generation of wearable and consumer electronics devices.
The companies say this new proof-of-concept replaces “conventional” username/password authentication for applications such as payment, e-ticketing, digital access and two-factor “strong” authentication with fingerprint recognition.
The joint effort will demonstrate this solution on a smartwatch that embeds a fingerprint sensor from Fingerprint Cards, fingerprint software from Precise Biometrics and Secure NFC solution and low power microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics.
Gemalto provides the UpTeq eSE on which the user’s credentials are stored, and the Match-On-Card application that validates the fingerprint placed on the sensor corresponds to the biometric data of the user. Gemalto also supplies an array of “secure” applications, and the Allynis Trusted Services Hub (TSH) responsible for managing the solution over the entire product lifecycle.
Fingerprint Cards delivers touch fingerprint sensors with low power consumption and compact form factor.
Precise Biometrics provides fingerprint software based on Precise BioMatch Embedded, an algorithm solution that offers fingerprint recognition for products with small fingerprint sensors on limited platforms, such as smart cards, wearables, cars, locks and personal identification tokens.
STMicroelectronics provides its ST54 system-in-package solution, composed of an ST21NFC near-field communication (NFC) controller and an ST33 embedded Secure Element based on 32-bit ARM SecurCore SC300, hosting the Gemalto Biometrics Match-On-Card. ST also provides an STM32 ARM Cortex-M based low-power microcontroller managing the application.
For end users, the new architecture “spells an end to the complexity of having to remember numerous username and password combinations” to access applications such as payment, secure email and government ID programmes.
