Silex Biometric Tool to Secure Document Printing

July 29, 2005
SecurePrint secures sensitive document printing over networks

SALT LAKE CITY -- Silex Technology America, Inc. announced the availability of SecurePrint-a new biometric-based network printing solution that will allow companies to secure the printing of sensitive documents at the printer.

Business today is conducted within a culture where document security and control is very important. silex's SecurePrint extends security to the printed document ensuring that they are printed only by those authorized to do so by requiring fingerprint authentication at nearly any USB-enabled printer.

Developed as a result of silex technology's long experience in network printing, SecurePrint also ensures unauthorized eyes do not view or take documents from the printer-for my eyes only printing.

"In a secure and sensitive environment where document access and control must be maintained, SecurePrint secures the 'last mile' so to speak-printing," said Gary Bradt, silex vice president of biometrics division. "Document security is not complete if a person can print out a confidential document on a network printer risking the possibility of unauthorized users seeing or even taking it from the printer. SecurePrint provides control and authentication of documents at the printer."

With SecurePrint, a solution comprised of a silex FUS-200N fingerprint reader and a silex SX-5000U2 USB device server, an individual sends a document to a networked printer. The printer will not print the document until the user places his or her pre-registered finger on the fingerprint reader at the printer. Once done, all of the user's queued documents print out while the user is at the printer creating the privacy that workers, managers and executives need when utilizing a network printer.

SecurePrint, part of silex's enterprise biometric solution, is a security solution for small to medium businesses as well as large enterprises including those found in healthcare, government agencies, financial and banking institutions, legal and human resource departments, accounting, insurance, and many others. It can be used as a first step in providing document security in smaller businesses, or can be integrated seamlessly in large biometric secure enterprises of established networks.

SecurePrint is much more effective in securing the printed document than passwords or swipe cards that can be lost, forgotten, shared, or even stolen. A fingerprint is never lost or changes-it is a lifetime ID.

L3 Government Services, Inc., a division of L3 Communications, uses SecurePrint in several of its facilities that support government clients.

"We have managers who share a common printer, and who must keep printed documents confidential, "said Charles Jarrow, deputy vice president of IT services for L3 Government Services. "With SecurePrint our managers can print documents without worrying about other eyes seeing or taking the document off the printer. It is easy to use, and the document won't show up until they touch their fingerprint at the printer."

The FUS-200N fingerprint reader meets U.S. government standards of 500 dots-per-inch resolution. It connects to the network through silex's SX-5000U2 USB 2.0 Hi-Speed device server at the location of each printer. To gain access to the SecurePrint solution, users must have the For My Eyes Only printer port installed on their computer, and then each finger must be pre-enrolled by touching the fingerprint reader. After the enrollment process, users can then print documents to a networked printer, walk to the printer, and then touch the fingerprint reader, which releases the document to be printed. In addition to the secure printing capabilities, users have the choice to print normally for non-confidential documents.