The RSA Conference, named for the Bedford, Mass.-based security company that puts it together, began Sunday and runs through Thursday. In another sign that security has become important business, the sponsors include Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Compaq. "I think the . . .
The RSA Conference, named for the Bedford, Mass.-based security company that puts it together, began Sunday and runs through Thursday. In another sign that security has become important business, the sponsors include Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Compaq. "I think the RSA thing has come of age, and people are taking the whole topic seriously," said Michael Ruehle, president and CEO of BioID America Inc., who plans to show off new technology from his company that scans a user's face, voice and lip movements for high-security identification.

Such biometric devices, which grant or deny access to users based on ironclad personal characteristics, have been available for years. But even though ordinary passwords are easily stolen or forgotten, biometrics have yet to move into widespread use because of high cost and varying reliability.