Kenyan businesses bet on biometrics to boost surveillance

Having been traditionally used by government to store citizens’ fingerprints, the biometric security system is fast rising among companies who prefer controlled access to their offices due to its unparalleled security superiority as intrusions and illegal entry into premises and offices become all too common . The medieval methods where ink is smeared on the papers and the fingers pasted on special papers that are scanned later for storage, the technology now has moved a notch higher and with just a simple touch on a scanner the image is stored.

The system has now become reliable and secure that it is being adopted in all spheres, from voting in elections to private business. In Kenya, the biometric system is being adopted by business where it is deployed at the doors of the business. It is an idea already in use in most buildings in Nairobi in a system that is making the surveillance and monitoring of unauthorized access easier. The fingerprint of the worker is taken in advance and instead of each worker having keys to the office, each worker only need to have his fingerprint taken and use that as key to access the office.

Evans is a worker at an office situated in piedmont plaza on Ngong Road that has adopted the technology. He says, the technology has made life easy, he doesn’t have to wait for the office to be opened in the morning, he simply press his finger against the scanner on the wall next to the door, which opens the door automatically.

“It’s a beautiful idea that has reduced reliance on a single individual to access the office,” says Evans. “What if the guy fell sick or is held up in traffic? Does it mean we will be standing here waiting for the guy to arrive an hour late,” he quips. Fingerprint scanners use a digitized reading of a person's fingerprint as a security measure. Fingerprinting is often used in buildings that require a high level of security, such as the military and government sites. The fingerprint security system has been used in computer, phones, car security, airport security and even credit card use.

The system has so many advantages. The system can be programmed to record the time that the building is accessed and the individual. These can give the business managers to know what the time an employee reported to job. In addition, the system can be programmed to show in real time if some unauthorized person is trying to access the building or office.

One of the largest advantages of fingerprint scanning is its ability to protect someone's identity. A person's fingerprint is unique and difficult to copy. Use of a fingerprint scanner as a security measure for computers, buildings and even credit card use ensures only the owner of the items or authorized personnel can access the programs and devices or building. This means personal information stored in those locations is unavailable to other people. This can prevent identity theft, credit card fraud and other information stealing.

A fingerprint scanner also increases the privacy of the object or building that it locks by only allowing authorized users access. This increases the security on any object or area. A fingerprint scanner will deter all but the most dedicated criminals. In most situations, a fingerprint scanner will keep a high level of security for the user, such as access to private areas and computers. One of the main advantages of fingerprint scanners is the benefit of overall security. Fingerprinting prevents the necessity for key cards, physical keys and security codes. Simply enter the fingerprints of all authorized users into the scanner, and all other persons trying to enter will be denied entry or use. Fingerprinting is one of the most secure forms of security available on the market as of 2010. According to SecurityCamera a security technology company, fingerprint scanners have a wide range of uses. One way for fingerprint scanning to be used is in security processing, such as at airports and police offices. The use of fingerprint scanners can improve the processing time of large people groups because a simple swipe of the finger can prove who the person using the scanner really is. A fingerprint scanner can catch wanted criminals at airports, and it can speed up regular processing time by eliminating the need for each person to show several forms of ID or other information.

Fingerprint scanners may offer best opportunity for the booming apartments, where the landlords are struggling to give the keys to tenants. More often the house hosts more than one individual and one key is not enough. Another case is the duplication and loss of the key, where the key can get into the wrong hands. But by using the fingerprint biometric system, the landlords can control the security of the apartments.

This state of the art technology however is not exempt from tampering by fraudsters. Security analysts are thereforearguing that tamper proof biometric equipments are necessary to ensure that this wonderful technology is not abused. “TheUnited States had a smooth ride with these biometric security systems until some smart hackers realized how to crack itand they were now accessing buildings at will. Before they could contain the situation the damage was severe. It’s what we need to brace ourselves for. What happens when some smart hackers get access to buildings, or how do we beat them?” asks Purity Wendo a security expert.