MARKET NEWS

European distribution deal for Australian software Australia's Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) reports that a major German software cooperative, known as SBS, is close to signing an exclusive distribution agreement with Harrison Systems Integration of Australia for image compression technology developed by CSIRO.

The image compression technology is already used by the Australian Government to store, in fully encrypted digital form, huge numbers of photographic passport records. The system allows virtually instantaneous retrieval of pictures and data for security checking, or to speed up replacement of lost passports. CSIRO says that the Czech Republic is also keen to implement the Australian encryption and storage technology for use by its own passport authorities.

Harrison and CSIRO had a joint display of the software at the international trade and industry fair in Hanover earlier this year. Also displayed at the Hanover fair was the related CSIRO image recognition technology based on the System for Quick Image Search (SQIS). The camera-based system 'recognizes' individual faces and, via a computer interface, compares them at high speed with a database of stored photographs. Within a very few seconds it is capable of checking a face against its store of photographs. It can be used in conjunction with a PIN as a security checking system. The technology will work well in daylight or in ordinary office lighting, with virtually any kind of background.

Frank Rees

Year 2000 solution from Symantec Symantec has announced the launch of Norton 2000, a corporate Year 2000 solution for desktop PCs and distributed computing environments. The product includes data scanning as well as an application scan database and BIOS test and fix. Also included is LiveUpdate and Norton System Center to make it easier for corporations to update and distr ibute sof tware th roughout an enterprise.

One of the most cr i t ica l issues organizations face with the approach of the next m i l l enn ium is how to mon i to r spreadshee ts and da tabases for Y2K problems. Companies have been entering important data as two-digit dates for years. Calculations are based on those dates being accurate. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and important information can be made erroneous through a misinterpretation of a two-digit date. To help solve this problem, Norton 2000 includes a data scanning component that not only discovers Y2K problems in these complex files, but also generates a customizable report detailing findings to assist the customers in repairing severe problems in

"the product tests and fixes time clock hardware and the BIOS."

their datafiles. The product scans the following files: Excel versions 3.4, 5.95 and 97; Lotus 1-2-3 versions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 97, Quattro Pro version 1 through 8; Access, all versions; dBase III and IV; Clipper; FoxPro; and Paradox. For recent Excel spreadsheets,

Norton 2000 colour-codes and annotates the spreadsheet to highlight and explain Y2K issues in each affected cell.

In addition, the product tests and fixes time clock hardware and the BIOS. Users can automatically install the fix or test their machines. Unlike other BIOS scans, Norton 2000 creates a boot floppy to test the BIOS in a safe environment, thereby preventing users from inadvertently destroying data, program configurations or expiring timed licenses during testing. The product, claims

Symantec, offers a BIOS/hardware analysis and repair rate of 99%.

For fur ther information, contact Gunilla Larsson, Symantec on." +44 1628 592384; E-mai l : glarsson @ symantec, com.

Computer Fraud & Security August 1998 ISSN: 1361-3723/98/$19.00 © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved