It would be almost impossible to fool a new electronic signature verification system
IF FRAUDSTERs have devised ingenious ways to dupe banks and financial
institutions of millions of dollars each
year, then scientists trying to combat
forgery have certainly not lagged behind.
Recently, British researchers unveiled the latest, state-of-art
electronic signature verification system that uses neural
network technology to detect
forgeries with 95 per cent
accuracy, and that too, in just 2 seconds.
Developed by neural
network specialists from
the technology arm of
the United Kingdom Atomic
Energy Authority (AEA), the
system, called Counter-
match, has been launched
commercially following trials
with the British government's employment service.
The neural network computer technology imitates a
human brain - it is capable
of learning from its experience. Countermatch's neural
networks learn to recognise
the unique aspects of a person's signature for comparison on future signing
occasions. "This could be a break-through in a wide range of security
applications, from preventing cheque
frauds to catching out cheats signing on
for doles," says an AFA spokesperson.
The Countermarch package provides a secure, unbiased, automated way
of checking signatures as they are being
written, eliminating the risk of human
error. Explai'As Graham Hesketh, AEA'S
neural computing specialist, "It is inherently more accurate than the human eye
with a 95 per cent accuracy rate.
Verification takes I to 2 seconds and the
matching process uses both position
and timing to advise whether the signatore is genuine or forged."
Countermarch, say researchers, can
be employed in most areas currently
using computer passwords, personal
identification numbers or identity
cards. It can also be used in the health
and safety area to check s0atures of
plant personnel or even train drivers, they add.
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