CR80News | School biometric system raises concerns over student exposure

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Hull Trinity House School in Yorkshire, UK has become the first Hull school in its area to utilize a biometric system in replacement of school lunch payment programs, according to a Yorkshire Post article.

As has been common at other schools where such a system has been implemented, the new system is raising concerns among community leaders over whether or not biometrics in schools exposes student’s personal data to hackers and other cyber criminals.

In response to such worries, however, the schools headmaster, Andy Twaits, has pointed towards the system’s use of numeric references to points on a student’s finger, rather than storing a fingerprint image, and, therefore, renders stolen data basically unusable.

Further, Twaits has reminded the nay-sayers that the system has received 99% support from the students’ parents and usage of the system is not required of students.

Read the full story here.

Finger scanning utilized at two West Virginia high schools

High schools in Jefferson County, W.V. will be implementing biometric finger scanning in an effort to provide security for the students’ cafeteria accounts. Purpose of the program, according to school officials, is to eliminate clerical errors and to provide students with an easy way to identify themselves when using the cafeteria.

School attendance and tracking system issues student IDs, visitor passes

ID Card Group, an online retailer of ID card systems, is offering a school attendance tracking software system designed for the needs of mid- to large-sized educational institutions. The Teacher-In-a-Box Attendance Tracking Kit includes hardware, software and accessories.

Yubico shows authentication suite ideal for education sector

With the implementation of its authentication security suite at Goldsworth Primary School, online identity protection provider Yubico has shown that its two-factor authentication and VPN connectivity are a viable solution in the education market.

Illinois high school tests program to track bus riders

Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, Ill., is piloting a program that can track students on school buses. The goal is to increase safety while determining more efficient bus routes. The school rolled out the program in late January that provides each student with a card that the student uses as he enters or exits a school bus.

Bear Pass rolls out at Missouri universitiy

Missouri State University in Springfield is rolling out its new Bear Pass, a student ID card that also provides door access and debit card functionality. The purpose behind the new card is to make the campus safer while keeping a student’s information secure, according to school officials.

Alabama schools in pilot program to track students riding buses

The Huntsville, Ala. school district is conducting a pilot program that will track when and where students get on and off the bus. Currently, three schools–an elementary, middle and high school–are involved in the pilot.

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School biometric system raises concerns over student exposure