Dynamic News Limited is a company that operates an online newspaper website in the UK. Although the company is based in Milton Keynes, its reporters work around the country. The reporters usually send in their news reports to the company using a specially designed software package that is installed on their laptops. The software authenticates the reporter using a password before encrypting and sending the news report to the company via the Internet. Once authenticated, the software also allows reporters to access confidential materials related to their work online. This system generally works fine although problems can occur when breaking news stories are happening and reporters in the area do not have their laptops with them. The company is therefore considering investing in a mobile phone app that would allow reporters to send in news reports using their mobile phones. As security is very important, and mobile phones potentially present a higher security risk, the use of biometric authentication is being considered by the management team. According to the descriptions on the product catalogues they requested and received, both fingerprint and speaker recognition systems appear to be suitable authentication systems for their purpose. However, the management team need more information to inform their ongoing discussion. They have therefore approached the IT officer to provide them with a report that will give them the information they need. Imagine you are that IT officer of the company and you have been asked to prepare the report.

Your brief is that the report is to cover the following.

• A general description of biometric authentication systems and a brief description of how each of the fingerprint and speaker systems authenticates users.

• A comparison between the fingerprint and speaker authentication systems under the headings of:

  • convenience

  • reliability

  • acceptability (including ethical considerations).

  In each case you should consider the points of view of both the company and the employees.

• Drawing on these comparisons, provide a justified recommendation of which biometric system would best meet the companys needs.

Most members of the management team know little or nothing about security systems and have only a vague idea about relevant issues. However, two key members of the management team have a particular interest in biometric systems and have therefore asked for a more detailed explanation of how fingerprint and speaker systems capture and process the users data. The report should therefore also include a section in an appendix, intended solely for them, that deals explicitly with this. The rest of the report should provide the information the other members of the management team need to inform their future discussions without them having to read the appendix.