September 21, 2004

More than passwords - "James Bond" security

Most of us use passwords to access "secure" areas of our digital lives - web sites, email, ATM machines and etc. However, passwords are often not enough and online we can see that hackers can often get pass some of the best security features.

Using an additional layer of security like a biometric reader, that scans your fingerprint or IRIS can increase security dramatically.

With this in mind AOL is giving users the option of buying ($10 one time fee + $2 a month) a small hardware device which shows a new password every minute. To access certain areas of their account an AOL user enters their password and then enters the number shown on the device.

This two-factor authentication scheme will help secure AOL customers.

AP writes Subscribers get a matchbook-size device from RSA Security Inc. displaying a six-digit code that changes every minute. The code is necessary to log on, so a scammer who guesses or steals a password cannot access the account without the device in hand.

Two-factor authentication ó whether through the RSA device, biometrics or cards printed with rotating lists of passwords ó is common in Scandinavia, Brazil, Singapore and selected countries. In the United States, its use is largely limited to employees accessing office networks remotely, or people with high-value financial portfolios.

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