Until now the biometrics has been used to tie a device to a person so that it does not fall in the hands of scrupulous persons. It eliminates the illegal use of the devices. But the latest IST project named SECUREPHONE has taken biometrics with a whole new approach. It lets the person digitally sign audio, text and even image files as a proof of their originality and authenticity.
The biometric data is basically stored in the SIM card ad can only be accessed by a verification module which also runs on the SIM card. This ensures that the user biometric profile is completely tamper proof. Thus this is one of a kind biometric application which processes and stores the data on the SIM card.
The existing communication might be very secure but there is no way to prove the authenticity or identification of the person on the other side of the phone. As we know mobiles due to the ubiquity are seen to be the future means of monetary transactions like eCommerce, even means to sign deals and give presentation but unless there is any full proof method to prove the identity of the person, all this would be a distant dream. The securephone technology provides a way in which even the audio or the text sent through mobiles will have a legal value. The aim is to find a means of conversation that cannot be disputed afterward for example a biometrically encoded voice coding would be a clear proof of the person speaking.
The securephone project thus consists of two different modules:
• The first module is basically the biometric verification module which verifies that only the legitimate person is using the particular service. It is a type of biometric security application which confirms the identity of the user.
• The second module succeeds the first one by digitally signing the data by use of a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
Thus rather than relying on something you possess like a pin code that you can easily lose the biometric encryption relies on what you actually are!