Posted by: Robert Markette
February 07, 2007

One of the topics that frequently comes up when discussing HIPAA security rule matters is biometric security devices. As technology improves, there are more and more biometric security options, in fact, one popular model of laptop has a built in fingerprint scanning device. Of course, the downside of biometric devices is that they do not always work as efficiently as advertised.

My favorite example of the use of biometric security devices is Disney World. I have previously mentioned the biometric devices used at the entrances to Disney World, but I discovered last week (when my wife and i took our three children to Disney for a vacation) that they have changed to a fingerprint scanning device. For those of you who have not been to Disney World, when you first use a multiple day park ticket, you use the biometric scanner to identify yourself as the tickets owner. Every time you use the ticket to get into a park, you have to submit to the same scan, before you can enter the park.Currently, they have a fingerprint scanning device. You put your ticket into the turnstile, put a finger on the scanner and off you go. At least that is how it is supposed to work. As I discovered during my vacation last week, it is not quite that simple. On our second day at Disney World, the fingerprint scanner repeatedly rejected my fingerprint as incorrect. After trying my right index finger three or four times, I switched to my left finger. That solved the problem. (Even though I will swear, that I used my right finger for the initial scan.)Well, I decided I must have forgotten which finger I used. So on day three, when trying to enter the Magic Kingdom, I placed my left index finger on the scanner. Of course, it did not work. The attendant suggested that because the scanner is on the right hand side, I probably used my right hand. I replied that no, I had gained entry to the parks using my left hand the day before. She then proceeded to explain how I should try varying the position of my finger on the scanner. After three or four tries, all of them unsuccessful, she finally just overrode the scanner and let me into the park. (Overriding the repeated failed scans raises another question about the usefulness of the scanner. It appears that if your fingerprint doesnt match you get in anyway?)I mention, this story, both to explain the lack of posts last week (I was out of town) and to demonstrate the potential downside for biometric security devices difficulty in using them. Admittedly, in this case, the operator error was enhanced by a lack of instructions, but nevertheless, when considering potential biometric security devices, one of the considerations you should make is the potential effect use of the device will have on your employees efficiency. In other words, you want to make sure that the devices are user friendly. An employee who spends ten minutes a day trying to get the device to allow him or her access to his computer or other device, is going to become very frustrated very quickly, and will try to avoid using it to the extent that is possible.If you do implement such a system, be sure your employees are trained and familiar with it. Knowing how to properly use the system should go a long ways towards avoiding the frustration that come with a system that does not function as advertised.

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Biometric Security on my recent vacation

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