BU-METCS

INFORMATION SECURITY LAB & BIOMETRICS Policy Labs Reservation Graduate Assistantships Telecom Infosec & biometrics Opnet Enterprise Java Faculty Prof. Tanya Zlateva, Director, Prof. Lubomir Citkusev Todorov, Prof. Suresh Kalathur, Prof. Vijay Kanabar, and Prof. Anatoly Temkin Purpose The purpose of the Information Security Lab at MET CS department is primarily to offer a hands-on experience to our students for training and research by providing a practical demonstration and exercise field for the theory covered in our security courses. The Information Security Lab enables our students to engage in number of security projects, such as: • Securing a web server • Analyzing a virus • Comparing OS security • Detecting intrusions • Analysis, remediation, and improvement of security In addition to these traditional projects students can design and implement a secure distributed applications based on client/server programming in TCP/IP and security protocols environment such as secure chat-room and attack/defend applications. Design The MET CS Information Security Lab is designed as an isolated network (isonet)] and consists of Window and Unix based workstations. A single router connected to a gateway via a proxy firewall server is used for connecting all network elements. Equipment The lab is equipped with a number of network elements and protocols, such as VPNs, Firewalls, SNMP, PGP/IPsec, LAN bridges and both Layer 2 and Layer 3 switches. The workstations in the lab have a range of network simulation software based on OPNET Modeler and MATLAB tools. Traffic flow recorders based on Network Sniffer and NetFlow products can be used in monitoring various network performance. The lab has a wireless sub-network based on IEEE 802.11 protocol suit, as well as a Gigabit Ethernet setup. Biometrics Authentication Technologies When designing the Security lab special attention was paid to the selection of authentication equipment, which consists of principal biometrics components able to input and process finger-scans, hand-scans, voice-scans and signature-scans. In the near future we also plan to equip the lab with facial scanning, iris-scanning and retina-scanning equipment consisting of Physical Access devices and Image Processing software.
Foquest Provides Biometrics Solutions to Boston University’s Computer Science Department.

Hand Geometry Hand-scan technology utilizes the distinctive aspects of the hand- in particular the height and width of the back of the hands and fingers – to verify the identity of individuals. One of the most established biometric technologies; hand-scan has been used for years in thousands of verification deployments. Using the technology created by Recognition Systems, MET College is using the Hand Reader device to identify people by the size and shape of their hands. Their patented hand geometry technology provides great advantages like accuracy and reliability, eliminate the expense and hassle of card based systems, fast enrollment and use. The Hand Reader provides improved security, accuracy, speed, and convenience for a diversity of uses.

Fingerprints Recognition Finger-scan technology utilizes the distinctive features of the fingerprint to identify or verify the identity of individuals. Finger-scan technology is the most commonly deployed biometric technology, used in a broad range of physical access and logical access applications. MET College is using DigitalPersona U.are.U Pro devices to increase the security of our desktops, network and applications with a convenient fingerprint authentication system. It eliminates the burdens and security problems of password-based authentication, using advanced fingerprint recognition technology to heighten security and replace passwords.

Signature Verification Signature-scan technology utilizes the distinctive aspects of the signature to verify the identity of individuals. The technology examines the behavioral components of the signature, such as stroke order, speed, and pressure, as opposed to comparing visual images signatures. MET College is working with the global leader in Biometric signature, Communication Intelligence Corporation, studying, researching and teaching the technology involved in the signature verification and authentication field.

Voice Recognition Voice-scan technology utilizes the distinctive aspects of the voice to verify the identity of individuals. Voice-scan and speech recognition are bundle together to translate the spoken word into an account number and then verified the vocal characteristics against those associated with this account. MET College is proud to work with one of the world's leader companies in the speech recognition field. Nuance speech recognition products have the ability to recognize general, naturally flowing utterances from a wide variety of users. It recognizes the caller's answers to move along the flow of the call. Speech from the callers comes into the computer, where it's sent to a recognizer and broken into little pieces of sound called phonemes. Each individual sound of the speech can be identified and matched to a predefined list of phrases the caller would say. The recognition is the best match.

Face Recognition Face recognition technology is the least intrusive and fastest biometric technology. It works with the most obvious individual identifier - the human face. Instead of requiring people to place their hand on a reader or precisely position their eye in front of a scanner, face recognition systems unobtrusively take pictures of people's faces as they enter a defined area. Cognitec's patented FaceVACS® technology has been developed and refined since 1995. The FaceVACS® technology has been made to safely recognize persons, independent of variances that appear to human faces. FaceVACS® technology handles pose, mimic, aging variance as well as variances coming from a new hair style, glasses or temporary lighting changes. The independency can never be 100% based on the nature of biometrics, however algorithmic leadership, optimizing and fine tuning over a very long period created the best of class variance independency, i.e. it created excellent verification and identification results. Performance, i.e. accuracy and reliability of the recognition engine, is the key to the quality of face recognition systems. The Face Recognition Vendor Test 2002 (www.frvt.org) initiated by the US Government has tested systems of 10 vendors (including Cognitec) in one of the largest evaluations performed to date. Results published in March 2003 have confirmed the industry leading performance of Cognitec's FaceVACS® technology.