SCRP_VME_BioDrive.

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Group Test Biometrics www.scmagazine.com

Biometric technology has met with misunderstanding in the past, but its bene-
fits are becoming integrated into mainstream security. By Julian Ashbourn.
f in the public consciousness bio- will cause many IT directors and puters, PDAs, keyboards, mice and
I metrics has hitherto been regard-
ed as some newfangled emerging
systems administrators to take an-
other look at the possibilities of
other devices.Forthcoming operat-
ing systems will support biometric
technology, all that is about to using biometrics in the office for functionality and there already ex-
change. Public awareness of bio- workstation and network access. ists a wealth of software facilitating
metric technology and how it might We are now seeing biometric workstation and network access
be used is about to shift gear. This sensors built into notebook com- control.

VME BioDrive
Version 1.1
Supplier Meganet Corporation
Price $176 for 128Mb
Contact www.vmebiodrive.com
n ingenious little device from
A Meganet Corporation to en-
able secure portable data storage,
the USB token incorporates a fin-
gerprint biometric sensor and a
simple interface of 3 LEDs to in-
form the user of status.
Installation is straightforward as
the device is recognized by
Windows 2000. After installing the
VME drive utility, connecting the
device and verifying your identity
via the fingerprint reader enables a
portable drive in Windows
Explorer, to which you may add or
delete files as you wish.
Files stored on the BioDrive are
encrypted using Meganet’s virtual
matrix encryption (VME) algo-
rithm.This is invisible to the user as
files may simply be opened from
the drive as with any other, but it
does provide security should the
device fall into the wrong hands.
This is of course also where the
biometric comes in. If you are un-
fortunate enough to misplace your
BioDrive, or have it stolen, it is
highly unlikely that the casual
fraudster will even be able to access
it as the fingerprint biometric
works well and was not fooled
under test. If they somehow man-
age to take it apart and find a way of
accessing the memory (even more
unlikely),then the files are encrypt-
ed with VME, providing more pro-
tection.
For those concerned about trans-
ferring data securely between com-
puters, the VME BioDrive thus
provides an interesting solution. It
is available in a range of memory
capacities from 16Mb right up to
1Gb and, of course, no power
source is necessary as it takes it
power from the USB connection.
Build quality, while not exception-
al, should be more than adequate For those concerned about
for the type of usage envisaged and
the small size and light weight
transferring data securely
makes it easy to slip into the shirt between computers, the
pocket or handbag for those on the VME BioDrive provides an
move.
However, pricing is such (start-
ing at $122 retail for the 16Mb ver-
interesting solution.
Julian Ashbourn
sion) that it will probably appeal
more to those with a real need
rather than the casual buyer. The
VME BioDrive is a nice product,
with simple,intuitive operation and
a high level of security which re-
mains transparent to the user in
everyday operations.
We can see this being an attrac-
tive proposition for users who reg-
ularly need to transport important
data between locations.
SC MAGAZINE RATING
Features ★★★★★★
Ease of use ★★★★★
Performance ★★★★★
Documentation ★★★★★★
Support ★★★★★★
Value for money ★★★★
★★
OVERALL RATING ★★★★★★
FOR Simplicity of concept, ease of
use, portability.
AGAINST A little expensive.
VERDICT A good solution for portable
data storage.

Contact details:
Meganet Corporation
16133 Ventura Blvd, Suite 640
Encino, CA 91436
www.vmebiodrive.com
sales@meganet.com
Tel: (818) 990-9292 Fax: (818) 990-2906
800-MEGANET

SC MAGAZINE September 2003