Biometrics and You

Not sure why this has piqued my interest, but Chris Skinner learned a ton of new stuff about biometric scanning. ATM's in Japan don't even need your fingerprint anymore. They scan the unique pattern of veins and arteries in your hand, and you don't even have to touch anything -- very hygienic. Some tidbits on facial recognition as well. Yikes.

Identity on the Web

What does it mean to "have an identity"? On the web? In retail stores? In person? Here's what your bank is thinking. (This has no direct application for me, but the discussion is fascinating.)

Chris Skinner maintains a fascinating financial services blog, and part of the fascination is that he makes financial services fascinating.

And while we're meandering wildly off-topic in the domain of secure online identities, add Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon to your summer reading list. Fascinating vision of encryption and decryption of codes from WWII into the New Millenium. All the more intriguing is that the book is from 1999 and still feels technologically relevant.