Alcatraz has introduced official names for the two software layers supporting its Rock family of facial authentication devices, while outlining several platform enhancements planned for general availability in October.

RockOS is the firmware that powers the Rock device family, including enrollment, liveness detection, authentication and tailgating detection. Rock Cortex is the platform that handles verification, users, device management, integrations, monitoring, analytics and compliance across a deployment.

The company announced the names during GSX 2026, held Sept. 14-16 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Alcatraz said the underlying technologies were already part of its facial authentication offering and that the announcement formally establishes the RockOS and Rock Cortex names.

The company's Rock X device performs facial authentication on-device and in real time. It can operate as a standalone authentication method at an entry point or serve as an additional authentication factor alongside an existing credential. According to Alcatraz, biometric images are not transmitted or stored in the cloud. Instead, the system uses encrypted mathematical templates that the company says cannot be reverse-engineered.

Rock X also provides tailgating, piggybacking and impersonation detection. For tailgating detection, the device uses computer vision to monitor entry points for multiple people and can send alerts with photographic evidence to security teams. It also supports automated lockdown protocols for high-security areas.

Alcatraz said Rock X supports two-factor authentication using a face and badge as well as three-factor authentication using a face, badge and PIN. The company said authentication can be completed in less than one second.