Biometric security as germy as door knobs

Ottawa -- Biometric equipment is securing access to buildings and airports, but some users believe the devices are unsanitary, a U.S. study found.

However, Christine R. Blomeke of Purdue University found that while the platen glass surfaces of devices that scan fingerprints or hands may look more unsanitary due to visible dirt and prints, they harbor about the same amount of bacteria as a typical doorknob.

Blomeke's team examined the bacterial recovery and transfer from three types of biometric sensors: fingerprint, hand-geometry and vein-recognition devices. Each sensor was tested separately with two kinds of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, a cause of blood and skin infections, and E. coli, which can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections and meningitis.

E. coli survived on the devices slightly longer than staph bacteria, but within 20 minutes, nearly all the bacteria had died on all three devices -- about the same as on a metal doorknob.

While a person is no more likely to become ill from a biometric device that from a plain, old-fashioned doorknob, it is always a good idea to wash hands with soap and water or keep anti-bacterial solution handy, Blomeke said.

The findings were presented at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology in Ottawa.

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