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Verity Technologies, a Bangalore based mobile services company, launched its
latest innovative device called "SLIM (StartLok Identity Module), a Biometric
Authenticator.
SLIM is a smart card device equipped with Bluetooth that can work with almost
all mobile phones that are Bluetooth enabled. SLIM authenticates all kinds of
wireless transactions. It helps customers to secure payments over the mobile
phone and to safeguard sensitive data. At the same time, it can be used as an
access card in large organizations and for government use. Even if the customer
loses the mobile it cannot be used without the SLIM, and its anonymous nature
helps in preventing the loss of data. SLIM contains an embedded fingerprint and
is unique in nature, and the information cannot be copied or cloned.
As the online transaction and mobile penetration is growing at a tremendous
pace, the chances of credit card fraud and theft of identity are becoming
rampant. The mobile transactions are governed by policy laid down by RBI. The
policy says that all mobile banking shall be permitted only by validation
through a two-factor authentication. This implies that authentication and
identification services are central to any form of mobile commerce transactions.
"Most companies offer authentication services for electronic transactions.
The commonly used two-factor authentication uses the mobile phone itself as one
factor and a numeric PIN as the next factor. With the SLIM, it is possible to
have a third factor," says Shiv Kumar Jagannath, CTO, Verity Technologies.
The company claims that SLIM has the capability to accurately identify a
person enacting a transaction, and is completely impersonal, non-invasive and
theft proof.
"We have developed products that are uniquely positioned to harness the power
of the mobile medium to deliver value added entertainment and financial services
to the customer. SLIM is a product that will ignite the imagination of the
telecom world," says Anuradha Bansal, CEO Verity Technologies.
Activating the Service
Activating the service is a simple process. The customer has to register the
mobile phone number, country, make, model, a five digit PIN number and password
in the website. During the enrolment process, the customer receives a text
message that contains a small piece of software from the StartLok, the Bluetooth
authenticator. The user will receive a message on the mobile phone asking to
give a thumb impression, and he has to place the right index finger on the
biometric reader available with the SLIM. The user will be provided with a
biometric password by resting the right index finger on the reader. The SLIM
establishes a secure connection to the mobile phone and the mobile phone
establishes a secure communication to the StartLok Authentication Centre (SLAC).
Each SLIM also contains an embedded fingerprint reader, which is a
state-of-the-art device for capturing fingerprint characteristics. Once the
customers mobile number is registered and activated, the SLAC checks mobile,
SIM card, the SLIM and finally and the finger print for every transaction. This
ensures that the customer is a registered user of the service. The customer does
not need to remember a PIN number or password as SLIM is a Bluetooth enabled
device.
"If the customer loses the phone he has to block his SLIM by logging into the
website. When he changes to a new phone, he has to reconfigure the SLIM," says
Shiv Kumar Jagannath, CTO Verity Technologies.
The technology used in SLIM makes it interoperable with any mobile devices
irrespective of platforms or technologies.
The pricing model will be based on the monthly rental as like other VAS
offered by the service providers. The company is planning to use the channel
sales route for the marketing of the product.
Pradeesh Chandran
pradeesh@cybermedia.co.in
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