Original version

BBC World Service South Asia

Click

Digital Planet

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Technological and digital news from around the world.

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

Digital Planet: US Government Fingerprints Hacked

Factual: Science & Nature

A finger print is scanned

29/09/2015 GMT

US Government Fingerprints Hacked

BBC World Service - Digital Planet, US Government Fingerprints Hacked

Biometric data, including 5m fingerprints stolen from US government personnel files

US Government Fingerprints Hacked, Medical Devices Vulnerable to Hackers, Project Isizwe, what3words

US government personnel data records have been hacked and over five million fingerprint records stolen. Biometrics cannot be copied as easily as a number or password but any security breach is much more serious as fingerprints and retinas cannot be reset. Dr Carol Buttle a cybersecurity and biometrics expert explains more.

Medical Devices Vulnerable to Hackers
MRI scanners and other medical devices are also being targeted by hackers. Why are they connected to the internet at all? BBC technology writer Jane Wakefield tells of recent research from the US with a fake MRI aimed to monitor hacking efforts. 

Project Isizwe
In South Africa, mobile phones may be common but data is expensive. And yet it is important for education. Project Isizwe co-founder James Devine talks to Click about spreading free wi-fi in South Africa.

what3words
Around 75% of the world’s countries and four billion people have no address. No address means fewer rights.  Company what3words have given each 9m2 section of the world an address, consisting of three words. CEO Chris Sheldrick explains how the system works in multiple languages and some of its less obvious uses.

(Photo caption: A scanned finger print © Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Digital Planet

US Government Fingerprints Hacked

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service South Asia

About BBC World Service