News
Net Nanny Puts Twist on Password Security
- By Scott Bekker
- November 18, 1998
LAS VEGAS – Persuading end users to choose secure passwords and avoid writing them down in obvious places has long been a challenge for system administrators.
The first product from a company called Net Nanny Software Int’l Inc. (Bellevue, Wash., www.netnanny.com) adds a layer of security to the password process. BioPassword LogOn for Windows NT, announced at Comdex Fall, records the typing rhythm of end users as they enter their passwords. Even if a cracker guesses or obtains a user’s password, he or she would also have to mimic the user’s typing rhythm to gain access to the system.
Company officials position the software-based product as extra security without the extra cost associated with such high-tech approaches as retinal scans, voice- and face-recognition technologies and fingerprint scanning.
"No existing security system is foolproof," says Gordon Ross, president and CEO of Net Nanny. "BioPassword LogOn for NT makes sense for those who believe that layering their security technologies offers greater insurance against potential security breaches."
Company plans call for the product to be generally available via download from its Web site in the first quarter of 1999. --Scott Bekker, Staff Reporter
About the Author
Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.