Idiap becomes the world’s third biometrics certification center

The FIDO Alliance, the leading provider of authentication standards, has just confirmed the certification of Idiap’s biometrics center. The Idiap research institute, based in Martigny in the canton of Valais, becomes the third member of the FIDO Alliance, a very exclusive club at the heart of security issues related to this sensitive and rapidly growing […]

The FIDO Alliance, the leading provider of authentication standards, has just confirmed the certification of Idiap’s biometrics center.

The Idiap research institute, based in Martigny in the canton of Valais, becomes the third member of the FIDO Alliance, a very exclusive club at the heart of security issues related to this sensitive and rapidly growing field. Not widely known by the general public, the FIDO Alliance sets international standards and certification processes. Created by a consortium of industry heavyweights, ranging from GAFAs to computer equipment manufacturers, this organization has become the authority in this field. Including Idiap, only three centers in the world are accredited by FIDO for biometrics certification.

A long-term strategy and investments

In 2014, Idiap launched its biometrics center with the support of the canton of Valais and the city of Martigny. The accreditation’s success is part of a long-term strategy to position Idiap as a key player in the certification of biometric systems. The FIDO accreditation process was initiated more than a year ago and took several months of work. Idiap has not only trained several of its employees, but has also invested in upgrading its facilities with the support of Loterie Romande. A biometrics testing laboratory in a dedicated room has been created. It hosts the data acquisition equipment, as well as various tools, such as masks to test and detect fraudulent deception attacks on facial recognition systems.