Security Redefined for the Minimalists

Thursday 25 October 2018 , , , , 0 Comments




What comes to mind when one thinks of security? The image of a heavily guarded premises with tough and muscular bodyguards enters the mind. This kind of representation is not totally wrong though. Security has always been associated with iron shields, vaults, locks and bolts; the image of bravery and security. Nevertheless, secured premises shouldn’t exude cold and uninviting vibe, especially for businesses that rely on the customers presence.

TimeTec BLE-2 and TimeTec Security App duo present a more welcoming feeling that matches the open and minimalistic feature in which modern companies are striving for without compromising the security at all. TimeTec BLE-2 controller can seamlessly be installed out of sight and the system shifts the control entirely to TimeTec Security App on the mobile. Simply connect TimeTec BLE-2 to TimeTec Security and unlock the doors straight from the App via 4 options: Tap to Unlock, Voice Command, Auto Unlock and scan QR Code. Through bluetooth low energy connection, the Mobile App will then send the command to TimeTec BLE-2 controller to unlock the door as well as keep the transaction details for future reference.

Simplicity and minimalist feature of TimeTec BLE and TimeTec Security redefine security for the modern days. Security doesn’t have to be rigid and uninviting, choose TimeTec for a secure, cozy and inviting work premises.


To enquire or purchase TimeTec BLE-2, contact info@fingertec.com today and enjoy 20% off, offer ends 31 December 2018.

What comes to mind when one thinks of security? The image of a heavily guarded premises with tough and muscular bodyguards enters the m...

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How Does Biometrics Fare Going Forward?



Commercial biometrics system continues to show growth in years to come. The CAGR for the global biometrics system market is reported at an impressive 16.3% and the main factor for this prediction comes from strong support by the government worldwide to embrace biometrics system deployment in departments and organizations. The increasing demand for better security to combat unauthorized access and attendance fraud is also another factor contributing to the growth. The fact that biometrics is suitable and applicable to varied sectors which includes government, military, transport, logistics, safety & security, healthcare, banking, and so forth, will definitely continue to contribute in the growth as well. Adoption of the biometrics market in smartphone, PCs, and banks also helps to propel the growth of the biometrics market.

Based on the top findings of the IBM Security’s new “Future of Identity Study,” having surveyed nearly 4,000 adults around the globe, Biometrics is becoming mainstream. The study found that 67% of respondents are comfortable using biometrics authentication today, while 87 percent say they’ll be comfortable with these technologies in the near future. And, Millennials are moving beyond passwords. While 75 percent of millennials (respondents between the ages of 20 and 36) are comfortable using biometrics today, less than half are still using complex passwords and 41 percent reuse passwords to access numerous accounts. Older generations showed more care with password creation but were less inclined to adopt biometrics and multi-factor authentication. (Reference: https://securityintelligence.com/new-ibm-study-consumers-weigh-in-on-biometrics-authentication-and-the-future-of-identity/)

The rosy outlook on biometrics has provided industry players with a promising future, however, complacency has no place in this competitive market. For a brand to stay relevant, it needs to elevate the offerings in order to serve the demands of the current and future market. Due to the growing demands from the government sector, it’s a pressing matter for manufacturers to start offering mammoth-capacity options or solutions to fulfill the huge requirements of the projects. And, with these gigantic-sized government projects, the accompanying solution has to cater to the large requirements and perform at its best or risk major hiccups in its implementation. In addition, in other industries, employee mobility is becoming a norm, and the mounting adoption of mobile solutions in the market has created new demands on features such as data centralization, flexible system operation, real-time data & reports, fast respond, additional mobile apps for mobility and the list of requirements is growing. Therefore, geared towards the future, TimeTec will be launching the Face ID X with bigger capacity and better performance to fulfill a larger installation, and on top, TimeTec has been preaching cloud since 2014 in preparation for the incoming demands for flexible and subscription-based solutions. 

TimeTec TA caters for cloud-based time attendance solution for the workforce that offers not only integration with FingerTec biometrics, but it is also loaded with other clocking options such as GPS clocking, Wifi clocking, Beacon clocking and NFC for a versatile attendance clocking system. TimeTec TA is gaining traction in the market due to its effectiveness, affordability and the addition of its mobile solution that comes with the system as a value-added feature. TimeTec TA elevates biometrics solution to another level which enables an array of possibilities in the deployment. 

For access control, TimeTec Access, a mobile authentication cloud-based door access system, is THE solution. With the combination of biometrics, IoT hardware, and cloud solution, TimeTec Access will enable more effective management of access control straight from any Web Browser and operation through Smartphone App. The implementation of TimeTec Access with biometrics will provide companies with remote monitoring ability and instant data & report at all times, and in a long run improves the ROI for the overall door access management.



Biometrics is here to stay but in order to stay relevant and forward-looking, a brand has to provide a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and be able to satisfy the current requirements and more. Explore www.fingertec.com to find out more. 



Commercial biometrics system continues to show growth in years to come. The CAGR for the global biometrics system market is reported a...

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A Little Black Box of Possibilities



Credentials on a smartphone have been used widely since a few years back with the introduction of barcodes for access in cinemas. At the onset of this trend, cinema assistants would scan the code on your phone before permission was given to enter the movie theater. After some time, cinemas started using QR code so moviegoers can do it themselves by scanning the QR code to access the flap barriers. 

This practice somehow introduces smartphone access slowly but steadily to the masses. 

Taking it a step further, TimeTec is now offering door access via smartphone App, TimeTec Security to the market. Just by using TimeTec Security App, a user can access doors and barriers via a smartphone. Not only that you can tap to unlock the door, the App also offers another 3 ways of unlocking method to suit your preference. The introduction of TimeTec Security App replaces the function of a credential and now, the keys to your room are your smartphone. But how would a smartphone App knows which door to open? 

All of this smart access control is made possible by a little black box known as TimeTec BLE-2. This is a Bluetooth Low Energy controller that makes the connection between the App and the lock possible through BLE signal. The process is simple, install the BLE-2 and connect it with the smartphone as well as configure the door settings via the App. The admin of the locks will then be able to provide access to those authorized, and the App can even contain many locks at once. The deployment of BLE-2 in door access control is not only simple, it’s affordable and the control of it is portable. TimeTec BLE-2 controller is likewise designed to be compatible with access barriers for human traffic and vehicle traffic.


Watch these videos for more information about TimeTec BLE-2 and TimeTec Security. 








Credentials on a smartphone have been used widely since a few years back with the introduction of barcodes for access in cinemas. At ...

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Exploring Access Control in the Smartphone World with TimeTec Access



Technology has always brought about change to various industries, and one of the industries impacted by technology is indeed Access Control. The industry has been dominated by smart card deployment and later on, disrupted by biometrics technology, freeing consumers from physical keys dependency. And recently, its development has been more focused towards the wireless market with the adoption of smartphone credential, Bluetooth technology and the usage of Near Field Communication technology is omnipresent in today’s default smartphones.


According to a research, it is projected that by the year 2020, the number of smartphone users will hit 6.1 billion from the current 2.5 billion users worldwide. There is without a doubt a fast growing and maturing wireless market out there, signalling the importance of mobile device integration for the existing market and beyond, for all kinds of system deployment. When almost everything can be accomplished via the smartphone ’s interconnectedness, access control is left without a choice but to explore its advantages.



Understanding Access Control as a Service, ACaaS

The trend now is no longer only about convenience in the way we open doors, it has been extended to the convenience of managing the entire spectrum of access control system. Adoption of mobile credential allows door owners to keep digital records of all access activities occurring in his/her premises and on top of that, smartphone credential can be assigned securely via temporary passes issued for certain individuals and for a limited time only, complete with detailed access records.


And the more important factor that enables all these is the introduction of Access Control as a Service or ACaaS.


Take TimeTec Access, for example, this solution offers a more simplified version of hardware that has to remain on site; however, the software and all servers will be removed from the customer’s premises and will be managed through cloud servers, with smartphones acting as a major access credential replacing cards and fingerprints. Access credentials or traditionally known as keys to open doors has evolved significantly and with the power of cloud computing and mobile technology; the credential management for physical access control system has been shifted to a smartphone without any hassle because let’s be honest, people are stuck with their smartphones most of the time these days.  


Along with smartphone comes access control Apps that are taking over major access control features effortlessly. Important controller features like interlocking, anti-passback and global anti-passback and many more are now switched over to the Application in the smartphones for convenience and better control. Smartphone credential also offers viewing of activity logs and much more in real-time as well as with so much convenience; it is even possible for a mere normal user to view his/her own activity logs through his/her smartphone, and users can preset all access levels and rights via their individual smartphone.


Another important issue handled by the ACaaS would be data security because the server facilities are located remotely and renowned data centres usually are heavily guarded with video surveillance and other tight security measures to ensure that the data is far from harm and penetration attempts. Cloud-based system allows authorized individuals to access and control from anywhere in the world through the standard internet communications protocols, WiFi or Ethernet infrastructure and using cloud-based access control system, users can utilize the Web Browser or Mobile App to manage access or unlock doors from a distance. By using smartphone access credentials to unlock doors, the Cloud-Based Door Controller authenticates on location and allows access.


Every event at every access point provides a communication report to the Cloud Server allowing monitoring of all facilities in real-time seamlessly.  While traditional access control system usually needs to station individual server in each premise for the company that operates in multiple locations, the cloud system can centralize and manage multiple locations’ access control system from one centralized location only, providing a truly convenient modern solution. All communications from TimeTec Access Control System Server are secured with 256-bit AES encryption and through the use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol. SSL provides endpoint authentication and communication privacy – preventing eavesdropping, tampering and message forgery. The cloud-based system is built on an open-source platform that is flexible.





Be Secured Without Putting A Hole in Your Account


You can implement the solution at the smallest scale, like managing a single door opening at a single location or you can add hundreds of locations and thousands of doors using one system to provide a globally distributed multi-location access control system. The cloud-based access control system does not require huge capital investments because the cloud solution usually offers a monthly or annual subscription pricing model. Hence, the cost of deployment has been reduced to a bare minimum with no hefty contract obligations.


TimeTec Access deployment incurs a low total investment particularly for facilities with low door count because you neither need to invest in any servers nor the maintenance that comes with it. TimeTec Access is cloud-based, which makes implementation of this solution at various locations with centralized control feasible with minimal equipment. You only pay for what you use, and the price does not fluctuate for a small deployment or a large one because the costs for a cloud-based solution like Time Access are moved from capital expenses to operating expenses.


TimeTec Access has a highly reliable data centres to maintain entry/exit logs and we maintain a rules-based alert to ensure exception situations get addressed appropriately and in time. TimeTec Access allows system management from anywhere in the world and from any locations. You can manage thousands of credentials and doors, create logical groups across physical locations and manage access schedules in real-time seamlessly and without any worry. Gone were the days where one lost credential could cause havoc and require physical presence to solve it. Application and data in TimeTec Access are hosted in physically secure co-location facilities and we have redundant servers to ensure better uptime and no data loss. All communications are highly encrypted and TimeTec Access deploys our patent-pending two-layer authentication, first in-App verification and followed by a BLE authentication for a secure access.



Using smartphone as a credential for access control is just the beginning of what’s to come. Developers are using the technology to input more features, making the application more sophisticated and secure than ever and some allow access via proximity,  some tap on voice control, and the possibilities are endless.

Explore TimeTec Access and TimeTec Security to understand the future of access control.




Technology has always brought about change to various industries, and one of the industries impacted by technology is indeed Access C...

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Warm Up To Technology for A More Effective Workplace



Many SMEs shy away from the latest available technologies because most of them are comfortable in doing business the conventional way; not keen on spending more money on software and tools, believing that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. After spending many years in this business, I learned that it wasn’t easy for customers to switch from one solution to another, let alone wanting to do it voluntarily. Most were reluctant to pick up on new things, holding on to the motto that familiar is always better, when more often than not, it proved otherwise. When FingerTec decided to change the bundled software from the ‘primitive’ FoxPro TCMS V2 to the more advanced TCMS V3, it was a struggle for us to persuade our customers to switch over. The process took us over a year and still, many hoped that the previous system remains. In fact, if SMEs are confident enough to deploy technological advancement in their daily processes, it would bring about a lot of advantages to their business operation for various obvious reasons. 

I lived through the 90s and the early 2000s when telephone lines and facsimile were the two major communication tools in the office and companies spent a huge sum of money paying the bills. Communications with clients were limited to conversations over the phone or face-to-face meetings which proved to be even more costly if the distance between you and the potential customers is great because it adds other costs into the equation such as hotel expenses, meeting rooms, meals, and etc. Let’s face it, the recent technology does not only improves communication, it does so much to improve business’s operations for SMEs and more.  

Instead of being indifferent and having a nonchalant attitude towards technology, SMEs need to warm up to technology in order to carve a better future. 

How so?

With so many readily available communication tools in the market, technology has changed communication in a big and inexpensive way possible. When in the 90s and early 2000s, the cost of one very short SMS was close to USD0.10, nowadays you can communicate for hours without having to take the cost into consideration. Physical presence is not required anymore when the team can be connected via the likes of WhatsApp, Skype, Quip; making it possible for businesses to be effective, and be able to break that barrier of conducting a  ‘formal meeting’ because what’s more important for the SMEs is to get things done quickly and correctly, rather than the formality of things. 

Technology can also assist SMEs in keeping things organized, sharing resources and assigning responsibility in a more systematic way by deploying project management software for example or simply utilizing Google Drive for easy collaboration and sharing of resources in real-time and increasing productivity in a major way. 

On the other hand, deployment of Software as a Service, SaaS like TimeTec TA for Employee Attendance Management or TimeTec Leave for Employee Leave Management simplifies and makes an operation more effective. SaaS usually is designed to promote automation and by having these tools in the workplace, the operation cost can be reduced significantly thus saving more costly and important resources for the company. In terms of the workers, they can likewise be tasked with different and more difficult tasks which can’t be accomplished via automation. On top of that, automation provides more accurate results and contains audit trail for easy tracking of information whenever the business requires. In short, SaaS tools do not only reduce the overall operation costs, it also provides efficiency that many SMEs are in dire need of.


Advancement in security technology is another breakthrough that provides advantages to the workplace with the adoption of smart card and biometrics for access security. The biometrics technology only allows authorised personnel to enter restricted areas by having their credentials verified, and all the verifications come with accurate records that are kept in the system for the longest time. Apart from access control, biometrics has penetrated other areas as well as PC access, time clocking and many more. And when the transaction data can be stored in the cloud, the tampering of the data is not possible, providing businesses with comfort over its security issues. 


Another good thing that technology brings is its customizing option. Let’s face it, not one commercialized solution is designed to fit any company like a glove, but with a little tweak here and there, companies can further exploit the technology to better serve their businesses. With the right cost and development time, customization option could benefit SMEs tremendously. The availability of technology presented to us in this time and age has enabled remote working, teleconferencing and co-working space which has completely reshaped the workplace. Everything is literally at the tip of your fingers with the availability of mobile and cloud technology.

Who would have thought that now I could communicate with my client in India or Germany or Lebanon without having to spend a bomb on phone bills? On top of WhatsApp, occasionally we do ‘face-to-face’ Skype video conferencing as well as share resources online accessible across the world by our customers. 

All in all, the impact of technology in the workplace is amazing and rewarding, and it changed the conventional way workplaces used to run. Businesses cannot shy away from or ignore technology, the leaders need to keep up and warm up to it in an efficient manner. Implementation of new technological solutions such as TimeTec and FingerTec biometrics can ensure optimal profitability and productivity at their workplace, hands down.


Many SMEs shy away from the latest available technologies because most of them are comfortable in doing business the conventional way; ...

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Lean on Biometrics for Efficient Workforce Management



Biometrics technology measures physical and behavioral characteristics to verify an individual’s identity and the patterns can be anything from fingerprint, facial, voice, palm print, and voice recognition. According to a report by Report Linker, global biometrics market stood at $12.84 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach $29.41 billion by the end of 2022. The increase in biometrics use is observed due to its adoption in an array of recent solutions which include mobile payment, online banking, immigration services, IoT, wearable devices, on top of the existing workforce management, e-Government processes and many more. In general, biometrics-based technology has been largely accepted by the general public due to its feasibility/affordability, and fingerprint technology leads the way by 91% market share as reported by French research firm Yale which finds that fingerprint-based biometrics dominated the $4.45 billion global biometrics market in 2016. Biometrics Technology Improves Staff Efficiency Biometrics-based technology such as fingerprint verification and facial recognition has been proven to be user-friendly and more reliable than other verification methods such as cards and password systems, and it was introduced to the workforce management system to streamline the collection of attendance data from manual to automated, in addition to some value-added advantages. Hence, the number of biometrics technology deployment as an authentication method for workforce management solutions has increased tremendously over the last 20 years for one simple yet crucial objective of any company: to improve bottom line profitability with better workforce management. Biometrics Technology Automates Data Collection Employees are hired for their different skill sets and this applies to any corporation, organization or government department. Therefore, it’s important for a workforce management system to be able to quantify the amount and types of labor needed to accomplish certain jobs on a daily or hourly basis. By installing biometrics solution that ties to the correct scheduling, employee pay class, and work codes, data collection can be done automatically and accurately thus saving the company not only money but a lot of time as well. With biometrics-based technology, employees can move fluidly throughout the day based on their job tasks or schedule, yet the management doesn’t lose control of the most important matter, time and task performed. Biometrics Prevent Time Theft Time theft at work is common and is causing companies annual lost in the billions. Some employees steal time intentionally and some don’t even realize that they are doing it because they always fail to see the value of 10-15 minutes extra break a day to the company’s bottom line profitability. Time theft at work happens when an employer has to pay a salary for the work hours that the employee hasn’t even served. For example, if you have a staff making $10 an hour and he has an average short of 2 hour weekly, that adds up to $960 a year of lost time and company money, and that number could simply multiply if there is no effective solution being placed to curb it. Biometrics is designed to measure the features of the body that are unique to each person. They offer greater accuracy in attendance whereby it eliminates “buddy punching” occurrences automatically. Higher ROI with Biometrics With all the advantages it brings, biometrics is definitely going strong for workforce management system, because obviously, biometrics promotes ease of use, accuracy, and efficiency way past its investment value, and as we are looking into the future of cloud solutions, AI and big data, there’s no better system that can capture accurate identity of an individual as good as biometrics.



FingerTec is a global brand in Biometrics for workforce management and door access solution. We offer a range of fingerprint, facial recognition and card products suitable for any type of office and all our hardware comes complimentary with powerful time management software and door access management software. For cloud solutions for time attendance, leave management and many more, visit TimeTec.


Biometrics technology measures physical and behavioral characteristics to verify an individual’s identity and the patterns can be any...

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Multimodal Biometrics: Luxury x Complementary



Unimodal biometrics, such as fingerprint technology, face recognition technology, voice recognition technology has been around in the market for quite sometimes serving diverse industries in various applications. Broadly, unimodal biometrics delivers a high degree of accuracy and authenticity to satisfy customer requirements. Nevertheless, and this runs true to all unimodal biometrics, none of the biometrics technology provides a 100% guarantee of user acceptance. Usually, there is a small degree of incompatibility arise due to variance in ones’ biometrics traits explained by the FAR (False Acceptance Rate) and FRR (False Rejection Rate) of each device. 

Even though the percentage of user non-acceptance in unimodal biometrics is very low, it poses an inconvenience to organizations that have to deal with it because as a whole, everybody wants a system that can cater to everybody. There were rare cases of black-henna-ed North African women who couldn’t register their fingerprints because the dark henna covered the characteristic of a fingerprint such as ridges, pores, arches, and making it impossible for the scanner to differentiate those traits from a fingerprint. Some more examples of fingerprint that is hard to register are those of the elderly people, as well as individuals who handle abrasive materials that ruin the traits of their fingerprints. On top, fingers that are too large or too small, dirty fingerprints, cut and damaged fingerprints also could pose some challenges during verification. 

Apart from the fingerprint quality, another matter of concern is the device’s operation. As some workers need to work in an environment that does not want them to have contact with devices, a contactless solution is an answer. Mechanics with dirty hands, cooks, servers, factory workers, employers who want to maintain the longevity of the hardware and etc., and this is where multimodal biometrics come handy. Multimodal biometrics is not meant for users to have two biometrics methods in one system just for the sake of having more, it works to complement one biometrics’ deficit and ultimately to provide users with convenience. 

Options provide users with flexibility and convenience
Multimodal biometrics refers to the use of a combination of two or more biometric modalities in a verification/identification system for improvement of performance over the individual systems either to work together as a multifactor solution or to allow a multitude of authentication options. The multimodal biometrics can be used separately for different users or you can choose to register few methods for one person to tighten verification process. Some workers could be assigned to only fingerprint verification method and some others can only use face, while another group is given verification combination such as fingerprint first followed by face or the other way around. Besides biometrics, multimodal also allows combinations of biometrics with a password, biometrics with a PIN or/and biometrics and card. 

Multimodal biometrics devices like FingerTec Face ID 2 is gaining popularity fast because of the added advantages it brings to the consumer. The price of multimodal biometrics is slightly on the higher side as compared to unimodal biometrics but the extra dollars invested are negligible with the features that it offers. 

Read more about Face ID 2 and its deployment stories in FingerTec Newscenter


Unimodal biometrics, such as fingerprint technology, face recognition technology, voice recognition technology has been around in th...

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