The Nation's Leading Weekly Computer News summary - Now In Its 37th Year - March 2, 1998

Oct 13, 2026

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Weekly computer news summary dated March 2, 1998, covering biometric PC security, embedded operating systems, and enterprise IT developments. Highlights include Sony fingerprint-based “Secure Start” protection that blocks unauthorized access before the OS boots, plus industry moves such as Network Associates’ acquisition of Trusted Information Systems. The issue also features an embedded market overview discussing real-time operating systems and developers’ skepticism toward Microsoft Windows CE, along with brief world and market items spanning security, hardware, and software.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

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S700 PRODUCT LETS PC USERS SECURE THEIR COMPUTERS WITH FINGERPRINT ID

Secure Start/ISA kit overview

Embedded Systems Market

Microsoft Attacks With Windows CE, But Developers Are Skeptical

Network and Security Deal

Network Associates To Acquire Trusted Information Systems

# The Nation's Leading Weekly Computer News summary—Now In Its 37th Year March 2,1998 Publisher:S.L.Millin EDP Vol.39 No.9 ## S700 PRODUCT LETS PC USERSSECURE THEIR COMPUTERSWITH FINGERPRINT ID Based On Sony Fingerprint Hardware,ProductCan Stifle Access Before PC Boots Up I/O Software Inc.,a Riverside,Calif.,providerof biometric security software and hardware for PCsystems,has developed a fingerprint-based securityproduct that protects PCs and their data from unautho-rized access by checking the user's fingerprint evenbefore they boot up. The new Secure Start/ISAkit contains a SonyFingerprint Identification Unit(FIU)which connects to(Continued on Page 2) | Network Associates To Acquire
Trusted Information Systems
Santa Clara,Calif.-based anti-virus software
maker Network Associates Inc.(formerly McAfee)is
acquiring popular firewall maker Trusted Information
Systems Inc.(TIS)in a stock-for-stock pooling of
interest merger valued at over $300 million.Network
Associates says the transaction makes it the largest
sccurity software company in the industry.According to
the Computer Security Institute's and Zona Market
Research's 1998 Information Security Market Survey,
TIS'Gauntlet firewall technology was the second most
widely used firewall product.The same report found
that 60 percent of all corporate sites surveyed use
Network Associates for their anti-virus security.Most
analysts consider the deal a marriage made in heaven
since more and more security conscious government
and commercial buyers are looking for one-stop solu-
tions.Another plus -the firms have virtually no
product overlap. | | --- | Weeklv IBM GIVES MOBILE LAW ENFORCERSLOW-COST,REAL-TIME ACCESSTO CRIME DATA,IMAGES Monthly Service Costs About S250 Per User;Runs On Variety Of Mobile Hardware Platforms Police officers in patrol cars can now havereal-time access tokey crime data from local,state andfederal databases --including vehicle and driver infor-mation,mug shots and photos of missing children --with IBM Corp.'s new eNetwork/l Law EnforcementExpress.(Continued on Page 6) IN THIS ISSUE- Embedded Developers Skeptical Of Windows CE.…2Platinum Buys HP's Intelligent Warehous.…………3PaperPort Maker Has Easy-To-Use OCR Too………3MARKET RESEARCH……………… ……………3Longtime Texas Instruments Exec Retires …………41st BackOffice-Compliant NT Security To………5Hardware/Software Solution For 3D Web Pages ……5SPA Releases 'Worst Pirate Countries'List …………5EFT/ELECTRONIC COMMERCE SPOTLIGHT...7Baan Pays S86 Million For CODA Group… …8NCR Finds A Friend In OfficeMax……………….8Microsoft Out With Unix Version Of IE 4.0…………….8WORLD TRADE……………………… … …….8 Group Publisher:Thomas G.Shack,Ⅲ Managing Editor:Michael E.Cotter Senior Editor:Elizabeth J.Lohr the computer's serial port,and a small PC compatibleexpansion board(ISAtype)which plugs into one of thecomputer's expansion slots.The kit requires no soft-ware installation,soit is operating-system independentand can work with any 386,486,or Pentium classcomputer running DOS,Windows95,Windows NTorUNIX. Once the $695 bundled product is installed,auser must have his/her finger scanned each time thecomputer is turned on or rebooted.If the user's fingerdoes not match,the operating system will not load,thuspreventing access to any information on the hard driveor floppy drive.Up to 64 different fingerprints can beenrolled into the system at any time. "This system is unique in that it works at ahigher level than the operating system.It preventsunauthorized access even before the computerboots up,so hackers can't exploit weaknesses in the operatingsystem to break in,"says Tas Dienes,Executive VicePresident and Chief Operating Officer ofI/O Software. The Secure Start/ISA board can be purchasedseparately for $99.I/O says it plans to support otherbrands of fingerprint scanners in the future.Moreinformation on the p

FAQs

What is the Secure Start/ISA kit described in the issue?

It is a fingerprint-based security product that checks a user’s fingerprint even before a PC boots up, preventing unauthorized access to data on the hard drive or floppy drive.

What requirements does the fingerprint system enforce during startup or reboot?

After installation of the bundled product, the user must have a finger scanned each time the computer is turned on or rebooted; if the fingerprint does not match, the operating system will not load.

Why are some developers skeptical about Microsoft Windows CE for embedded systems?

The issue cites concerns about consolidation in the RTOS market and notes that Microsoft’s marketing of Windows NT and Windows 95 may reshape expectations in the embedded environment.

Oct 13, 2026

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