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Rapid Authentication Systems?
Barrington Johnson asks: "I am an emergency physician, and am looking for a solution for authentication which is compatible with rapid logons and logoffs. We have several web-based terminals into which we put information. The web application gives a real-time representation of the emergency department, so it is important that it is kept up to date. We have an opportunity to re-design our system, and I know that if I make the authentication process too difficult e.g. username+password, doctors will store up their data entry, and do it all in one go, removing the real-time usefulness of the display. At what level (application/browser/system) should authentication occur, and what method would be best?" Might a smartcard-based authentication system work well in this situation?
A restaurant-type system might be best/fastest.
Perhaps forgo authentication? Or make it concurrent with data entry? A "secret" 4-6 char UID field that whoever fills-in when they enter other data (vitals).
A nice device, allows over-ride if you loose it, and instant unlock as need be.
wireless lock
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Unix is very user friendly, it's just picky about who its friends are.
Maybe consider 2 tiers of authentication.
First level being a 4 digit pin that can be easily entered at a login screen that will allow view access to all the important data.
Second level, require a username and password if anyone actualy wants to modify something.
symetrix. We are building a religion, a limited edition.
I am an emergency physician
Hire a professional web designer that specializes in security. I wouldn't want people to expect me to be a doctor, and I wouldn't want a doctor designing a secure web site for me.
No offense, but for something like medical records, stick to what you went to school for.
Depending on your network setup, host-based auth might be best. You could assign a specific IP address based on a DHCP Client-ID and have the web app look up the client's address in a table to determine if it's allowed automatic access (ie, to jump straight to an authorized state), or otherwise to prompt for a username/password, and thereby set the authorized state.
How secure are the workstations? If the public can get at them then security is still a big concern. If not, a simple 4 digit pin as others suggested might be enough. However, if its feasible that a unknown person could have a few minutes unobserved at the machine, then I would look for something a little more secure
How quick is quick? Smart cards, or USB keys could be quick, but if in a hurry, Doctors may not want to fumble around with something else they have to carry around... and what if they forgot it at home. Typing username - TAB - password - ENTER is usally very quick for anyone that has typed their username and password a few times. However, it could be inconvenient if the doctors are not usually standing/sitting with both hands free. What is the environment like? Do they sit at a desk, or quickly pass one of these terminals, click a few buttons, and continue on? If they're time spend at the terminal is measured in minutes, 5 seconds to log on wouldn't be inappropriate. If its measured in seconds, something quicker should be investigated.
What's the budget like? Bio-metric sensors are always an option, like a thumb print scanner. However, these would be slightly more costly that a small USB key, but eliminate remembering passwords/pins and carring around an ID card/USB key.
I'm not sure how sensitive the data is, but I'm assuming its relatively low. (Please don't go on a tangent here, there is little to no security involved with paper files...)
The quickest/easiest/cheapest way would be to use a standard mag strip reader or an RFID tag with no pin/password etc, just a swipe, and someway to "logout".
If more security is needed or possibly variable security needed (maybe 1st screen is kinda public domain, but to get more details you need more authentication), then a smartcard that uses its serial number as a token like in the RFID or mag strip example I just gave, and then the user would have to put in a PIN to get the more sensitive data.
The fortunate thing is that all 3 technologies are pretty inexpensive and easy to work with.
One suggestion here is to hire a security professional. That is not a bad idea.
However I have a better one. Hire me! (Better for me, at least). But seriously, if you can't figure out the best solution, you certainly are not going to get it solved here. Bring in a consultant who specializes in this aspect of your business (ER management) and have them explain the options.
It is not clear what your requirements are, but I am not sure this is a good candidate for a "technology" solution. Charts are still the standard method for tracking in ER environments and a good old-fashioned white board is a pretty good way to track assignments. No matter what the solution, if the doctor has to go away from the patient to check status or update status the system is going to be always out of date (hence charts hanging on for so long).
I know this isn't the sexiest solution but you need to prepare yourself for the boring solutions when you present this problem.
Those are the two items that will make a system secure. I would say proximity RFID reader + pin code.
When the Dr walks up it unlocks and askes for a pin ( it already knows who you are ). Once the pin is entered you are set... once the RFID leaves range ( 5-8 ft ) the station would automaticly lock. I personally think this would be the best of all worlds. I would not skimp on the proximity sensor for a card swipe since locking the station is still important, and the card is one more thing that they would have to keep clean. As much as the slashdot crew hares RFID it could be very handy you have to admit.
Something like a timed ticket+ibuttons would work.
Doctor arrives at work, logs in his user/password then simply taps his ibutton on whatever system he wants to use. Hit's the logout button when he's done, and moves on to the next machine.
Why do the login/pass thing in the morning? Because people lose small things like ibuttons. So each morning when you login (and for the next 8 hours or however long until the login ticket expires) the ibutton supplies is the new "key". If you lose it, simply get a new one and login again.
ibutton url
Why is authentication needed?
In an ER situtation, there must be hundreds of things lying around that unauthorised people MUST NOT mess with, or people die and other people get fired. Just define the terminal as one of those things.
Stick a dummy video camera pointing at the keyboard, and tell all the unauthorised staff they'll get fired if they are seen touching it.
If you need to identify who is making entries, give every doctor a dedicated function key, and refuse any entires that are not preceded by a fkey press.
A pizza of radius z and thickness a has a volume of pi z z a
1) Magnetic stripes on the neck-worn ID tags which contain a unique sequence of characters which are the equivalent of/tied to a doctor's username/password. Require the doctors to swipe them everywhere to input data. Periodically require doctors to re-key their cards.
2) Keep a central authentication system, but also mirror authentication information locally to wherever a doctor authenticates so subsequent authentications go quickly.
3) Disallow record editing after hours without permission. Counsel doctors who habitually require after-hours editing.
It seems like you could use a BlueTooth device to authenticate. The same way that if you have a BlueTooth cell-phone the screensaver on a mac will shut off when you get close to the system.