NORTH CANTON, Ohio, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A new biometric security solution from Diebold, Incorporated increases consumer and financial institution protection against identity theft and fraud by verifying account holders' identities by their unique fingerprint profile.

Diebold identiCenter(TM), Powered by US Biometrics, is an integrated system for identity verification and branch traffic management built around proven fingerprint-reading hardware and software. It's designed to quickly, accurately and securely identify consumers who enter a financial institution and increase efficiencies within the branch.

Dennis M. Moriarty, senior vice president of Diebold Global Security, said identiCenter is an example of how Diebold applies high-tech solutions to meet the security needs of today's financial institution.

"identiCenter is part of Diebold's vision of the 'branch of the future,'" Moriarty said. "Diebold is working closely with financial institutions to transform their branch operations to meet the needs of tomorrow's retail banking consumer by streamlining operations, personalizing customer service and enabling faster, more secure transactions. identiCenter is a significant part of that effort."

Addressing Identity Fraud

identiCenter provides added protection for financial institutions and consumers against identity theft during branch-based financial transactions. The Federal Trade Commission reported that 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2002, the most updated numbers available, with a total cost impact of $50 billion annually.

In addition, the fraudulent use of victims' personal information to obtain goods and services cost businesses and financial institutions $33 billion in 2002.

At the same time, industry research shows that more than half of American consumers say the branch is their preferred mode of interaction with their financial institution. Further, according to Accenture, 42 percent of consumers visit their branch at least once per week and 86 percent visit at least once per month.

"In a world where PINs, bank cards, social security and account numbers too often fall into the wrong hands, identiCenter can reduce fraudulent transactions, minimize losses from fraud and increase consumer confidence by verifying consumers' identities using their own unique biometric information," said Brad Stephenson, vice president of Diebold's Physical Security Group.

Using Fingerprints to Verify Identity in the Branch

At its basic level, identiCenter links an individual's identity and account information to his or her unique fingerprint profile. Upon initiating a transaction at the teller station, enrolled consumers place their finger on an optical-scan fingerprint reader to verify their identity. Once verified, their account information automatically appears on the teller's screen.

Participating consumers must first enroll by having three fingerprints scanned. Fingerprint images are then converted to algorithmic values based on the individual's unique minutiae point vectors, which are then stored in an encrypted, compressed database. To protect the account holder's sensitive information, the original fingerprint images are deleted from the host financial institution's records, leaving algorithmic values that cannot be converted back into fingerprints.

Upgrades Add Personalized, Streamlined Service to Branch Operations

Adding an optional kiosk and monitor enables identiCenter to streamline branch traffic and improve customer service. The self-serve kiosk enables enrolled customers to "check in" upon entering the branch by verifying their identity and selecting transaction options in advance of reaching the teller. The financial institution, in turn, provides account holders an approximate wait time and instructions about how to prepare for the transaction (i.e. fill out a yellow deposit slip). In addition, tellers can prepare for upcoming transactions, greet customers by name and determine assignments by specialty areas, improving customer service.

identiCenter combines US Biometrics' proven fingerprint-reading hardware and software with Diebold's nearly 150 years of experience providing self- service and security solutions for financial institutions. David Delgrosso, president of US Biometrics, said the solution will help Diebold's customers stand out from the competition.

"By implementing the identiCenter solution, financial institutions will gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace by proactively addressing the needs of consumers," Delgrosso said. "US Biometrics' technology, combined with Diebold's market expertise and service network, creates a dynamic integration of product and service that will help ensure financial institutions' success in reducing fraud and increasing convenience for the consumer."

Diebold Global Security is a leading security integrator with representation in every region of the world. Focused on the sale, installation and service of security components, Diebold serves the commercial, financial, government and retail markets. Diebold Global Security provides comprehensive identification, protection and detection solutions that include security and facility products, government and retail solutions and remote monitoring.

Diebold, Incorporated is a global leader in providing integrated self- service delivery and security systems and services. Diebold employs more than 14,000 associates with representation in nearly 90 countries worldwide and is headquartered in Canton, Ohio, USA. Diebold reported revenue of $2.6 billion in 2005 and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "DBD." For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.diebold.com/.

CONTACT: Media Relations, Carrie Kandes, APR, +1-330-490-6319, or
kandesc@diebold.com, or Investor Relations, John Kristoff, +1-330-490-5900, or
kristoj@diebold.com, both of Diebold, Incorporated

Web site: http://www.diebold.com/
http://www.identicenter.com/