APPARATUS AND METHOD FORMING A BRIDGE BETWEEN BIOMETRICS AND CONVENTIONAL MEANS OF SECURE COMMUNICATION

An integrated circuit - IC (1) having an architecture (1) is provided which yields increased security in the bridging of biometrics input into a device and secured communication with other devices. The IC (1) comprises encryption modules (8 or 8A, 8B and 8C ) connected to a high-speed bus (3) for providing encryption or scrambling of information. The processor unit (2) of the IC (1) is adapted to apply the encryption information to the fingerprint data for producing secured data as an output to the high-speed bus (3), interface blocks (9A, 9B 9C, or 9d) for supplying the secured data to external devices or units. Correspondingly, a method of providing increased security in the bridging of biometrics input into a device and secured communication with other devices comprising in a single integrated circuit (IC) (1) is disclosed. A method of creating an audit trail for delegating authority to enroll new delegates or users of a network is also disclosed wherein authentication is performed by biometrics to access such delegation software and where countersigning by biometrics enrolment of new delegate(s) or user(s) to issue privileges to new delegate(s) or user(s) and to validate such enrolment.