Week 10

I don't really have much to offer in regards to links this go around except this week's reflections of the events of the past couple of weeks.

This week's assignment for CIS 608 regarded the different forms of biometric security. In doing this assignment, I realized that in the last two weeks, I have been exposed to many forms of biometric security ranging from security questions on my bank's website to taking a CBEST test. We were asked which form of biometric would be more acceptable to the average person, so to speak.

Believe it or not, we are exposed to biometric security all the time. If you don't have your ID on you when you go the bank, the bank has several standard questions for you such as the last four of your social or mother's maiden name. Unfortunately, if you are divorced, your ex-spouse knows the answers to all those questions. Which means that you need to change those questions to something that only you would know.

Another is signature recognition when you sign that schnazzy terminal at the bank. I don't feel this is accurate because I can't sign that stupid thing anyways and my signature never matches my driver's license. Not to mention, forgery was a problem with checks, why would that be any different?

In the recent weeks, I got hired on to the local school district. One of the requirements was for me to be fingerprinted by Live Scan. That wasn't too painful, although the machine can be picky in regards to your fingerprints and if your finger slides, you have to do the whole thing over again. But it was handy and I was glad to find out that my Information Warfare research and resulting paper did not put me on the terrorist list for the FBI or Department of Justice!

Finally, I was asked to take the CBEST because the school district wanted to know if I would be a substitute teacher. Sure. I visited Pearson VUE to take the CBEST. When I got there, they took my picture, and then had my right palm scanned, left palm scanned, right palm scanned again, and the left palm scanned again. What was wild was that I could not carry my phone in with me to the testing area (OK, smart phones, I can see that) and they kicked my husband out of the building!!!! My phone and water bottle were placed in a locker in the lobby. When I went into the testing station, they checked my driver's license and then scanned my palms again. If I wanted to take a break (the test is almost 5 hours long), then I would show my driver's license and scan my palm again to exit the testing area. I was not allowed to use my phone or anything electronic. When I went into the testing center, I would have to show ID again and scan my palms again. Oh! and I was being video and audio recorded which really sucked because tests make me nervous and my stomach was making a whole lot of noise (hence my need for the water bottle which I was denied)!!!!

Anyways, when I finished the test, I was escorted out of the testing area, showed ID, scanned my palm, got a copy of the unofficial test scores, went to the front desk, scanned my palms again and was released.

Who would have thought that taking a test was SOOOO serious and required so much security!!!!!

It really made me ponder, if security is this tight for a test, what would be like working for the government! HOLY COW!!!