Security:  American Power Conversion (APC) has announced its APC Biometric Mouse Password Manager, an optical mouse with a personal fingerprint scanner that makes it easy for PC and laptop users to manage their passwords.

Based on radio frequency (RF) fingerprint sensor technology, the solution allows a user to biometrically secure and log on to their PC or notebook as well as eliminate the need to memorise passwords.

“With the proliferation of online transactions like banking, stock trading, e-mail, shopping, and credit card accounts, there is an ever increasing need for data protection,” says Alan Morgan, APC’s district manager East Africa. “To protect themselves, Internet users should have secure passwords that include a combination of several numbers and letters. However, having several different passwords makes it tougher to remember them all. Many individuals write down their passwords on pieces of paper that could be lost or viewed by unwanted users. The Biometric Mouse Password Manager gives users a convenient way to access their online accounts while providing a level of security that only fingerprint sensor technology offers.”

The new device permits up to twenty different fingerprints or twenty different users to store passwords on a single computer system. Each user enrolls using a finger as their identification source. The Biometric Mouse Password Manager’s design allows for stable placement and accurate fingerprint verification. It comes equipped with a 6-foot USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable, and software compatible with Windows (XP, XP SP2, and 2000) operating systems. The software stores an unlimited number of login names and passwords. It provides one touch file or folder encryption with five different encryption algorithms. With the touch of a finger, the shared laptop or PC recognises each user’s personal configurations and passwords.

Using AuthenTec’s patented TruePrint technology, the Biometric Mouse Password Manager scans fingerprints below the surface of the skin to the live layer or true fingerprint. TruePrint is unaffected by common skin surface conditions including dry, worn, calloused, dirty or oily skin that can affect other sensors’ ability to acquire accurate fingerprint images for user authentication purposes.

For more details visit www.apcc.com