DigitalPersona Fingerprint Authentication System Wins Health Care IT Excellence Award

Quebec Hospital Association Recognizes Centre Hospitalier Laurentien for Advanced, Convenient Security System

October 31, 2002

Redwood City, CA — DigitalPersona™ announced that one of its medical customers, Centre Hospitalier Laurentien, has been awarded the Québec Hospital Association's Prix d'excellence Informatique-Santé for their security system based on DigitalPersona technology. In an effort to comply with forthcoming legislative efforts similar to HIPAA in the United States, the Canadian hospital used DigitalPersona's U.are.U® Pro hardware and software to secure patient records from unauthorized use while also providing medical personnel with fast, convenient access to records when they need it.

"At Centre Hospitalier Laurentien we needed a tighter security envelope around confidential patient information," said André Labelle from the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien electronic data processing department. "Using DigitalPersona's fingerprint authentication solution we were able to raise the bar above every password-based alternative available. We increased security and at the same time we created a more efficient and convenient end-user experience. We are very pleased that our efforts have been recognized with the Hospital Association award."

Centre Hospitalier Laurentien looked at a number of suppliers before selecting DigitalPersona. They chose DigitalPersona's U.are.U Pro because it provided an end-to-end solution (hardware and software) and its recognition algorithm was rated highest in third-party reviews. The hospital IT staff was also impressed with the ease of use of DigitalPersona's product and with the maturity of its product line. DigitalPersona was able to point the hospital to customers who had already adopted the product for similar use and had tested it over time in real-world applications.

"Our U.S. and Canadian medical customers are looking to our fingerprint-based security solutions as they seek compliance with government regulations," said Fabio Righi, CEO of DigitalPersona. "We provide them a higher level of security with a product that is extremely easy for hospital staff to use. This award recognizes the benefits that our technology provides in maintaining the privacy of patient medical records."

About DigitalPersona

DigitalPersona provides a line of user authentication hardware and software for mainstream computing. The company was founded in 1996, is headquartered in Redwood City, California and distributes its products through OEMs, VARs, and resellers worldwide. DigitalPersona has strategic partnerships with major computer and peripherals manufacturers including Microsoft, IBM, Verisign, CheckPoint, Chicony, and DARFON. In addition to its flagship U.are.U line, the company also provides user authentication solutions for vertical markets, including Retail/POS, time and attendance, and access control. U.are.U has received numerous awards, including the "Editor's Choice" award from PC Magazine and was featured in a recent technology article in the Wall Street Journal. Further information is available at www.digitalpersona.com.