Is Amazon’s New Offering The Next Iteration Of Biometric Security?

Easy come, easy go!

That’s what Amazon is looking towards.

With a recent announcement, the company has launched a new product offering features that could redefine security and identity and access management within business premises.

Coming fresh out of Amazon’s AWS re:Invent event, slated to run till December 1st, Amazon’s cloud service platform AWS (Amazon Web Services), announced the launch of Amazon One Enterprise.

Read about another interesting announcement the company made in the duration of the event.

So, what is Amazon’s new offering about? Let’s explore!
 

What Is Amazon One Enterprise About?

 

• This new offering by Amazon is a comprehensive and easy-to-use palm-scanning identity and authentication service, which builds on the company’s 2020-released device Amazon One.

• Amazon One was initially used in Amazon’s self-owned cashierless stores to enable payments through biometrics. Here, customers had to link their payment card with their palm print, which would enable them to enter the store and make future payments using their palm print only.

• Now, customers can enter, identify and pay using their palm at locations where Amazon One is available after a one-time sign up. These include gyms, restaurants, retail shops, event venues and sports stadiums.

• In a similar fashion, employees will have to associate their physical badge with their palm print by enrolling in Amazon One Enterprise. Alternatively, they can associate their palm print with a password or a PIN, in case that is the normal authentication style.

• Currently, Amazon One Enterprise supports enrollment using employer-provided RFID badges.

• Essentially, the service will enable companies to authenticate people when they enter a physical premises. The service can also be used to control access to restricted areas, physical equipment or software resources.

• Overall, the service offers benefits such as enhanced security, reduced operational overheads and simplified employee access.

• It comes in two options. The first is as a standalone device that allows companies to install it wherever they may need it. The second sees the Amazon One Enterprise device being mounted on a pedestal.

• At present, Amazon One Enterprise is only available in the US.

 
 

What Did Amazon Say About The Offering?

 

• According to Amazon’s AWS website, “Amazon One Enterprise is a secure, palm-based identity service for enterprise access control. It improves the overall security of an organization by helping prevent costly security breaches.”

• [Contd] “The new service delivers a fast, convenient, and contactless experience for employees and other authorized users to gain access to buildings and secure areas. It can also be used to access physical equipment like lockers, printers, and restricted equipment and software resources like applications, digital assets, or multi-factor authentication.”

• Talking about the efforts taken to protect user data, AWS wrote, “Palm data and badge ID information are never stored on the device. They are immediately encrypted and sent to a highly secure zone in the AWS Cloud custom-built for Amazon One Enterprise where a unique collection of palm signatures is created for each enterprise customer, thereby providing strong data isolation and increased security for each organization.” 

• Speaking about the announcement, Dilip Kumar, VP of AWS Applications, said, “Amazon One Enterprise’s palm recognition technology is designed to deliver a highly accurate identification service that increases an organization’s overall security, while offering seamless authentication management with lower operational overhead … With Amazon One Enterprise, security administrators also have a centralized view of all user authentications across the organization, taking the stress out of managing multiple access control solutions. Businesses appreciate the privacy and convenience for their users, who can access physical locations and software assets with just a hover of their palm.”

Do you think Amazon’s AWS has cracked the next iteration of biometric security and access management in enterprises? Do you think companies using its service should consider retaining traditional security methods?
 
Let us know in the comments below!