Security Systems Technology Ltd (SST) have implemented palm-vein biometric authentication by Fujitsu (PalmSecure) for Hiscox London Market, a division of the Bermuda-based insurer that underwrites international businesses via Lloyd's of London.

The PalmSecure readers have been installed as a security protocol to authenticate employee access as Hiscox introduced secure document scanning in a move towards a paperless office. A rigorous identification process to ensure that documents were assigned to the right person with an optimal flow of work was essential. SST evaluated numerous biometric technology devices before recommending and commissioning the PalmSecure readers which are used alongside the Fujitsu fi-6800 Production Scanner.

The paper scanning technology was introduced in order to speed up business and reduce human error but accompanying security had to be thorough. As a security and IT partner of Hiscox, SST assessed other approaches including fingerprint, facial recognition and RFID cards. Enthusiastic user feedback has stressed the speed and simplicity of the identification method as part of an end-to-end document management solution that handles scanning, file conversion, compression and storage. During the research stage, SST worked with Hiscox to introduce the Fujitsu PalmSecure reader and integrate it with the overall document management platform using a software development kit (SDK.)

Steve Bigmore, IT Project Manager at Hiscox, said: "We reviewed the palm-vein technology and were impressed with its maturity and extensive use across a range of business sectors. Looking forward, we could see potential integration with Microsoft Active Directory which was already in use at Hiscox so we were confident it would remain compatible with our IT plans."

Jonathan Carrasco, Technical Manager at SST, said: "Palm-vein recognition is based on the absorption of harmless infrared rays which encounter deoxygenated blood in the palm veins that is flowing back to the heart. Being contactless, the technology is hygienic and practically impervious to environmental influences. PalmSecure also provides significantly higher precision and security than the biometric recognition of a fingerprint or an iris."