WEB-key is BIO-key's fingerprint identification SDK that is especially targeted for use with Web-based applications. The three-tiered SDK platform (browser/client, application server, and authentication server) provides for developer applications an abstraction layer for client fingerprint reading hardware as well as an interface to a back-end fingerprint storage and matching engine for the management and recognition of user fingerprint data. Plug-ins are provided for both the client and application tiers; the former provided in the form of browser plug-ins ("many" supported, with IE, FF, and Mozilla specifically listed), and the latter handled via .NET, .COM, and Java-based offerings.

On the hardware side, the vendor notes support for over 100 fingerprint enabled devices (including stand alone devices, integrated keyboards/mice, etc.) leveraging better than 30 fingerprint sensors; while software interface support is listed for multiple DBs (Oracle, Sybase, ODBC, proprietary, etc.), Oracle Application Server, CA Etrust, IIS, Apache, TomCat, and WebSphere, among others. Device support is interoperable; i.e., a user can enroll using one device and then later authenticate with a different device, provided both are supported by the SDK.

Features of the fingerprint recognition and storage back-end leverage the vendor's Vector Segment Technology, which provides the ability to store fingerprint data using a mathematical formula such that the actual fingerprint itself cannot be reverse engineered from the data; and True User Identification, indexing technology for the storing and matching of the fingerprint information stored. Using 10 COTS servers the vendor boasts that scanning speeds of better than 6 million fingerprint matches per second have have been achieved.

Other features include three encryption layers for fingerprint data (SSL, Elliptical Curve (or other PKI-based options), and separate encryption of the fingerprint templates/images; graphical interfaces for enrollment, verification and identification functions; and an SOA architecture.

WEB-key is available now. Contact BIO-key International for further information.