Apparatus and method of verifying personal identity of an authorized user
and providing information necessary to gain access to one or more secure
sites in response to such verification. The apparatus is embodied in a
hand-held device having an input pad for a biometric parameter such as a
finger (thumb) print, an LCD and a small keypad. The device is
initialized by placing the authorized user's thumb on the input pad and
pressing an enter key to store a template commensurate with the thumb
print. Thereafter, the device may be activated only by a match of a print
presented to the input pad with the previously stored template. By
operation of scroll keys on the device keypad, the user enters names of
secure sites to which access is desired. A unique password is generated
by a random number generator and assigned to each secure site named. The
password is stored both in the device and in the computer of the secure
site. After activation of the device, previously stored site names and
passwords may be recalled and displayed on the device by operation of the
keypad. The password is then communicated to the secure site computer via
a separate PC. Biometric data is not transmitted or stored in a data
file, but exists only in encypted form in the device.