SOFTPRO in the Press

January 2010; findBIOMETRICS.com

Year 2009 in review

The online publication www.findBIOMETRICS.com is one of the most important platforms in the international blogosphere. They have published an overview of a vendor whirlwind interview which also includes comments from SOFTPRO - including a very extensive one in the fourth part of year in review. The questions SOFTPRO answered were:

• 1. In your view, what have been the three most significant milestones/announcements for the Biometric Industry this year?
• 2. What are the most pressing issues facing the Biometric Industry as we move into 2009?
• 3. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being a start-up and 10 being a fully mature industry, how would you rate the biometric industry at this point in time?
• 4. Was 2009 a good year for your company? What were some of the highlights? What will 2010 hold for your company?

This execellent compilation of industry expert interviews is available online for free in four PDF files on the website of findBIOMETRICS.com.
>> [ findBIOMETRICS.com: Year 2009 in review ]

October 14, 2009; InfoSecurity Magazine

ISSE 2009: CECA receives TeleTrusT Innovation Award 2009 for e-signing in Spanish banks

TeleTrusT, the German IT security association, awarded the TeleTrusT Innovation Award 2009 to the Spanish Savings Banks Organisation (Confederación Española de Cajas de Ahorros, CECA) for its e-signing project at ISSE 2009 last week in The Hague. CECA uses SignPads from Softpro for digitising handwritten signatures in Spanish savings banks combining the benefits of biometric signatures and cryptographic techniques in their application Firma Digitalizada.
>> [ Full story on the website of InfoSecurity Magazine ]

September 22, 2009; Interpol

Softpro and Wacom to play vital part in Interpol's new e-passport initiative

The EDAPS Consortium had been chosen to design and produce the world’s largest police organization’s first-ever e-passport. SOFTPRO and Wacom are proud to be among the carefully selected international suppliers supporting the INTERPOL e-passport development by EDAPS.

Incorporating state-of-the-art technology, the e-passport for the Heads of INTERPOL’s 187 National Central Bureaus (NCBs), Executive Committee members and staff from its General Secretariat headquarters will set new standards in document security. The INTERPOL e-passport, which will incorporate various security features, will be developed by the EDAPS Consortium, which leads a grouping of 20 suppliers from 12 countries of which SOFTPRO and Wacom are two of them.
>> [ Original Press Release in English - on the website of Interpol ]
>> [ Press Release in French ]
>> [ Press Release in Russian ]

August 27, 2009; Bank Systems & Technology

Evolving Fraud Schemes Keep Pressure on Evolving Payments Instruments

Maria Bruno-Britz interviewed KeyBanks Doug Twining and wrote: "To prevent counterfeit and forged maker checks, KeyBank uses image-based check detection solutions from Bear, Del.-based Softpro. "This has reduced our false positives and is having a good impact from a client perspective," relates the bank's Twining. "It's a risk-scoring tool. We can call the client even before a check posts to a consumer account."
>> [ Full article on the website of Bank Systems & Technology ]

May, 2009; fst - Financial Services Technology Europe

Taking Signatures Seriously - Realizing Cost Savings while enhancing Security and Customer Service Experience

SOFTPRO is taking an important part of a focus about Dynamic Signatures in the specialist magazine fst - Financial Services Technology Europe in print and online.

• Ralph Maute participates in a roundtable discussion which is also joined by Softpro's hardware partner Wacom and its representative Rolf Schröder. The discussion is titled "A Sign of Things to come"(see page 102 ff. in the printed edition - also available online)
  Note: To directly access the report in the online format of the magazine you will need to enter screen page # 104 The screen page number is not consistent with the printed page numbers. Note also that the screen display is of "basic" resolution.
• Ralph was asked to compile a generic report about today's acceptance of dynamic signatures in various applications in different verticals. He also reflects on some lessons learned in past years. Several best practice examples are highlighted, including comments of today's users of electronic signature solutions.
  Note: To access the full version of this online editorial register for free on the website of FST Europe.
• In addition to this the printed edition contains a special one-page edition of SOFTPRO's newsletter "Sign of the Times".
  Note: To directly access this special edition in the online format of the magazine you will need to enter screen page # 114 The screen page number is not consistent with the printed page numbers. Note also that the screen display is of "basic" resolution.

>> [ Roundtable Discussion about E-Signatures in edition 10 of fst - Financial Services Technology Europe ]
>> [ Report "Taking Signatures Seriously" on Website of fst Europe ]
>> [ Corresponding report of SOFTPRO partner Wacom about E-Signing at Berliner Sparkasse on Website of fst Europe ]

April 2009; Global Identification p. 30

Savings Banks in Spain digitize handwritten Signatures

The specialist magazine for ID technology reflects on SOFTPRO's annoucement about the roll out of SignPads at Spanish Sabings Banks: The Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks (Confederación Española de Cajas de Ahorros, CECA) introduces SignPads in their primary process on a large scale. Softpro's SignPad eSignio tablet allows customers of Spanish Savings Banks to sign their banking documents and transactions both digitally and securely.
>> [ Website of Global Identification ]

February & March, 2009; Biometric Technology Today p. 10f

Dynamic Signature Recognition: A sign of the times

The specialist magazine "Biometric Technology Today" has published a market and technology overview in two parts in their editions in February and March 2009. The report analzes the market for dynamic signature recognition as one which has moved "in leaps and bounds over the past couple of years". It reflects on signature technology in action, lists standards of relevance and attempts a brief SWOT analysis. It is recognized that signature capture and verification has taken off in the banking sector and is now growing as horizontal application with a number of business and government institutions adopting the technology.
 
Biometric Technology Today sees itself as the most established source of authoritative news, analysis, features and surveys on the international biometrics market. Their readership consists of C-level executives (primarily CIOs and CTOs) as well as analysts, folks from venture capital companies and merger and acquisition specialists. resuably it is one of most trustworthy sources for information about Biometric Technology without additional marketing blurb. Authors such as Mark Lockie and Wendy Atkins know the market for quite a while. They have seen start-ups and "fallen stars". Hence they are known to take a closer look on "what's real" than many others.
>> [ Website of Biometric Technology Today ]

February 6, 2009

Wacom and Softpro captivates Indonesian banks at the Perbanas seminar

Wacom and Softpro, a Wacom Partner and the world's leading vendor of biometric and static signature verification solutions, were invited to a seminar organized by Perbanas (Indonesian Banks Association) which attracted more than 60 banks in Indonesia and major local media. This included representative of banks in outlying provinces who flew into Jakarta especially for this half day seminar.
>> [ Article on Website of Wacom Asia ]

January 2009; findBIOMETRICS.com

Year 2008 in review

The online publication www.findBIOMETRICS.com is one of the most important platforms in the international blogosphere. They have published an overview of a vendor whirlwind interview which also includes comments from SOFTPRO - including a very extensive one in the third part of year in review. The questions SOFTPRO answered were:

• 1. In your view, what have been the three most significant milestones/announcements for the Biometric Industry this year?
• 2. What are the most pressing issues facing the Biometric Industry as we move into 2009?
• 3. Was 2008 a good year for your company? What were some of the highlights? What will 2009 hold for your company?

>> [ Website of findBIOMETRICS.com ]

October 2008; A&S International - Leading International Security Magazine for Professional Buyers; p. 114 ff.

Biometric Signature Verification

In depth-look into the market about dynamic signature capturing. Going paperless is in hiher demand than ever, especially in banking and insurance; 2 1/2 expert article.
>> [ Website of AS International Magazine ]

October 17th 2007; tradingmarkets.com - Online Portal

Frost & Sullivan Lauds SOFTPRO for Achieving Outstanding Customer Satisfaction With Its Pioneering Dynamic Signature Verification Solutions

Based on its recent analysis of the dynamic signature verification market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes SOFTPRO GmbH with the 2007 Frost & Sullivan Customer Service Leadership Award for excelling in serving its customers and gaining superior customer satisfaction levels.
>> [ Website of tradingmarkets.com ]
>> [ Original Release on the webiste of Frost &: Sullivan ]
>> [ Download the orginal press release of Frost & Sullivan (PDF)]

May 6th 2006; ehealthnews.eu - Online Portal

Trustworthy Handwritten Signatures

SOFTPRO and selected partners are introducing a new product for protecting doctors and hospitals from unnecessary costs while streamlining hospital operations: Electronic Patient Information Documentation using a tablet PC and secured with biometric handwritten signatures.
>> [ Website of ehealthNews.eu ]

December 1st 2005; Biometric Watch

Tablet PC Application for e-Health

SOFTPRO and its partner, the publishing house proCompliance Verlag, are providing another "feature in the doctor's toolbox" - Documented Patient Information using a Tablet PC and the handwritten signature. This system allows the information about a patient obtained by a physician prior to an operation to be confirmed with the handwritten signatures of the physician and the patient captured on the Tablet PC.
>> [ Website of Biometric Watch ]

15 September 2005; 11th German-Japanese IT Symposium of the Muenchner Kreis, Tokyo - Proceedings p 139 ff.

Handwritten Signatures Secure e-processes on Stylus-Based Smartphones

Joint presentation of WACOM and SOFTPRO in Tokyo on 2005-09-15 by Shigeki Komiyama, Director Executive Officer, Division General Manager Global Sales and Marketing Division of WACOM and Frank Fuchs, Managing Director of the SOFTPRO Group
>> [ Download the white paper (PDF), free registration required ]

May/June 2005; Security World Int'l, p. 51 ff.

It's More Than Just a Signature!

In Security World's edition of November/December 2003 we haven taken a look on the general developments in the Biometric market for Dynamic Signature Recognition. Over one year later the technology has found its way into many applications and it is worth to take a closer look on the possibilities for capturing and verification of signatures again. Readers are also introduced to two case studies in the automotive and e-Health sector.
>> [ Website of the magazine ] (Article not available online)

May/June 2005; Security World Int'l, p. 54

Ingolstadt Hospital: Closing The Gap

Case Study about the usage of SignDoc with InfoPath at Hospital Ingolstadt.
>> [ Download our case study (PDF), free registration required ]

10 May 2005; IT Web South Africa

GijimaAst's SignSecure, SignDoc in top 12 of Microsoft's contest

Products of the company Softpro, distributed in southern Africa by GijimaAst, were recently ranked as the best biometrics applications for tablet PCs worldwide. Microsoft held an international developer contest titled "Does Your Application Think in Ink?" where Softpro's SignDoc and SignSecure products were one of 12 winners out of 260 global submissions from independent software vendors. GijimaAst is the new ICT powerhouse formed through the merger between the AST Group and Gijima Technologies. Its business model and strong client base form the foundation for an integrated services and solutions business which is ideally positioned for growth in the South African ICT market. GijimaAst has recently implemented Softpro's SignCheck cheque verification solution at one of the banks in SA, which will increase productivity, speed of processing and ultimately customer service for the bank. The solution will protect the bank and its customers with the technology tools and vital information needed to stop most cheque frauds before they become losses.
>> [ Read the article online in IT Web South Africa ]

May 2005; Public Service Review: Central Government 10

Handwritten Signatures Secure Electronic Documents

Capturing handwritten signatures on a digitizing tablet is quite a common procedure - especially in the United Kingdom and the United States. However, most of the devices used for this purpose today do not support the capturing of signatures for providing non-repudiation. This kind of hardware and software simply captures an image of the signature. Reliable means to proof the expression of an intent and authenticity in electronic processes with handwritten signatures require a more solid approach than just capturing a bitmap image. The article takes a closer look on future proof signature capturing.
>> [ Download the article (PDF)]

24 April 2005; Tablet PC Talk

Integrating Signature Verification into 3rd party Applications on Tablet PCs

Publication on Softpro's SDK SignWare
>> [ Read article online on tabletpctalk.com ]

31 March 2005; Microsoft's Tablet PC Developer Center

SOFTPRO is "featured Tablet PC partner" in the month of April 2005.

>> [ View Microsoft's Tablet PC Developer Center ]