US Air Force,
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE: Since the Department of Defense distributed more than 11 million Common Access Cards as its primary form of identification and enhanced protection to the military network, the number of network intrusions attempts by the enemy has nearly halved.
Although the CAC has proved to be a valuable tool, there are still security gap concerns if cards are lost or stolen and corresponding Personal Identification Numbers are cracked. To fill that void, the Air Force is using biometrics as a way to provide positive identification and authentication. Biometric technology can identify a person through fingerprinting, body mapping and eye scanning.
Several bases are using biometric hand scanners for physical access to the base or secure areas such as Scott Air Force Base. Base officials have been able to save more than $400,000 in manpower costs through their Metrolink biometric access gate.
Biometrics is also being used in support of the war on terrorism. “Military members in Iraq and Afghanistan are checking visitors and workers using biometrics and have been able to detain terrorists when fingerprints matched those found on an improvised explosive device.
Combined with other security measures, biometrics has fast become the preferred solution to controlled access,” said Marine Lt. Col. Frank Lugo, the deputy chief of force protection and mission assurance division at U.S. Northern Command.
The Air Force uses biometrics on its computers, too. More than 2,000 computers in the Pentagon have biometric technology installed, which has resulted in a 90 percent decrease in username/password helpdesk calls.
In the future, the Air Force is looking to use biometrics on its secure networks, for workers not affiliated with the government, in transferring medical patients, and in flightline areas requiring special authorizations.
In addition, the Air Force is planning to invest in a multi-million dollar biometric-enabled enterprise system called the Defense Biometric Identification System, or DBIDS, which would allow electronic verification of ID cards at base gates.
“Using biometrics provides a positive return on our investments and reduces our risks tremendously,” said Col. Stephen DiFonzo, the AFCA's director of assessments and validation. “There are many more functional areas that can benefit from using biometrics, and it's our job to provide a more secure environment for mission success. While biometrics alone isn't a silver bullet, used as an integrated tool it can deliver the security we need in today's electronic net-centric environment.”
