Biometrics beaten, securing Wi-Fi routers, Exchange-Firefox, Corporate Netbooks...

Biometric authentication is generally regarded to be superior to conventional access control mechanisms such as passwords. It turns out that this is not necessarily true. A team of researchers from the Hanoi University of Technology has beaten the biometric authentication mechanism in Lenovo, Asus and Toshiba laptops. These laptops use Webcams built into the notebooks in conjunction with face recognition technology to provide authentication. The researchers were able to bypass it by using a photo of the authorized user.

It is possible for a hacker to manipulate a fake photo by changing the lighting and angle to beat the system. By creating a large number of images, a fake face brute force attack can be launched. Something that is apparently quite easy to do with common image editing programs. According to the researchers, there’s no way to plug this security hole other than to not use this function and rely on other means of security.

Cisco and Trend Micro are teaming up to secure home Wi-Fi routers. To this end, two Linksys 802.11n routers will come with Home Network Defender service software from Trend Micro, which will be free for a 30-day period. Annual subscriptions are being offered. The software protects users from malicious Web sites and other Web-based threats. It also supports parental controls. The idea behind this initiative is that it is simpler to have the security software on the router rather than have to install it on multiple PCs. Devices protected will include not only PCs and notebooks as one might expect but also other connected devices such as game consoles, Wi-Fi-ready phones and media players. For now, the offering is limited to North America.

Following up on its Live search plugin for Firefox, Microsoft has announced that Exchange server’s next avatar, Exchange 14, will support browsers other than the company’s own Internet Explorer. Outlook Live—as the Web access to Exchange is known—will work on Firefox and Safari. Universities using Microsoft’s free hosted e-mail service will get the beta of this soon. As for corporate users, they will get it when their companies move to Exchange 14 which should be out in late 2009 or 2010.

Meanwhile, IE8 gets closer to its final version with Microsoft likely to release IE8 RTM in late March.

After establishing a successful beachhead with consumers, Netbooks are taking the next step and going corporate. HP’s 2133 Mini-Note was aimed at the home and education segments but the Mini 2140 is more business-y. With better battery life (up to 8 hours), a high-res screen (1366x768), disk impact protection and quick recharge batteries (90% in 90 minutes) these are business ready machines. Companies buying new laptops or replacing old ones will have to evaluate and consider if they can save money by going in for netbooks instead. A mix and match policy might work out for the best with power users getting notebooks and the rest netbooks saving tens of thousands of rupees per user in the process.

prashant.rao@expressindia.com