T-NETIX Inc., a provider of fraud prevention technologies, and PEAK Network Communications have formed Sentry Systems LLC to develop and distribute simple voice passwords for use in e-commerce applications.
PEAK is a provider of Internet security and electronic commerce solutions.
“The benefits promised by Web-based electronic commerce are driving a rapid
increase in networking infrastructure,” said Alan Forbes, president of PEAK
and chairman of Sentry Systems. “We are at the ‘build it and they will come’
stage for electronic commerce. Yet, according to several recent market
research studies, many potential commercial Internet users are reluctant to
adopt e-commerce due to security concerns. We believe the products coming from
Sentry Systems will address the security concerns of Internet customers and
service providers alike.”
Sentry Systems will use patented SpeakEZ Voice Print technology from T-NETIX
and portions of its recently unveiled VeriNet Web technology. These
verification technologies will be integrated with PEAK’s Web server security
software to provide a secure, and scaleable solution for online user
authentication, the company said.
Sentry’s technology is designed to provide a unified platform for all
enterprise security solutions. Sentry Systems will manage all product
development, marketing and support for the integrated solution. T-NETIX will
contribute its VeriNet technology and assist in managing the joint venture.
“The marketplace has given a clear message–authenticating users is a costly
and intrusive process and a barrier to widespread adoption of electronic
commerce,” said Forbes. “Authentication is vital for authorizing transactions
and access to secure resources on the Internet. The products and services
coming from Sentry Systems will secure authentication with new levels of ease
and simplicity.”
Sentry Systems’ first product will securely link the user’s desktop PC
microphone and sound card over the Internet to a remote voice authentication
server. The Internet user merely speaks a password into the PC microphone to
prove their identity. Sentry Systems will use the advanced SpeakEZ Voice Print
speaker verification engine from T-NETIX to match the user with his or her
stored voice print.
“This product will be able to verify users with variations in PC microphone
quality and background noise while managing the added complexities of sending
voice characteristics within Internet packets,” said Forbes. “The optimized
SpeakEZ Voice Print verification engine will be in a secure Web server solely
for authenticating the specific features of an individual’s voice.”
The first voice authentication products from Sentry Systems are planned for
release in early 1999. Both companies are based in Englewood, CO.
