BRAWLEY, Calif. and WALL, N.J., Feb. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIO-key International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI), an innovative provider of workforce and customer identity and access management (IAM) solutions featuring Identity-Bound Biometrics (IBB), announced that the City of Brawley, CA selected its PortalGuard IDaaS� platform for improved security for web application and workstation access. The public sector continues to adopt BIO-key IAM solutions that support zero trust initiatives to protect critical data and information technology infrastructure and prevent cyber incidents.

Public sector organizations hold a wide array of sensitive information, making them highly sought targets for cybercriminals. Their data is attractive to hackers because it links vast amounts of information about citizens and other organizations through various platforms. Public sector information systems are also strained by rapid growth and the challenges of complex hybrid on-premises and cloud access, even as agencies face budgetary constraints. This creates increasing urgency and demand for security innovation and more cost-effective solutions such as BIO-key�s PortalGuard IDaaS � an enterprise-grade, cloud-based IAM platform which includes cutting-edge biometric authentication security capabilities as part of a wide array of multi-factor options.

BIO-key�s security consultants engaged with the City of Brawley�s IT team to analyze its requirements and provide recommendations on how to apply the best authentication security methods to protect the City�s constituents, employees, and data. The City�s core requirements focused on secure access to critical systems and data. Enhancing workstation login security was another vital requirement satisfied by PortalGuard�s Desktop integration with Microsoft Windows, which enabled the City�s smart cards as the primary authentication method, as well as alternative authentication methods for improved flexibility and user experience. PortalGuard IDaaS's robust multi-factor authentication options, single sign-on, and full-featured self-service password reset capabilities support the City�s users with secure authentication options and a frictionless experience, in a zero trust cybersecurity environment.

�BIO-key assists public sector organizations in implementing guidance provided by the Zero Trust Architecture team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology or NIST's National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence,� said Mark Cochran, President of BIO-key � PortalGuard. �The public sector often chooses PortalGuard IDaaS over competitive solutions because of our unique ability to offer a wide range of highly secure authentication options at an attractive cost. Most government agencies we work with have limited IT budgets yet face a growing set of needs. This pressure makes ROI a high priority for investments in enhanced security. Our growing public sector success validates BIO-key�s strength in delivering the best authentication security options while meeting budgetary constraints.�

About BIO-key International, Inc. (www.BIO-key.com)
BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication with multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) solutions leveraging unique Identity-Bound Biometrics (IBB) capabilities for millions of users across thousands of organizations worldwide. BIO-key's patented software, hardware, and industry-leading biometric capabilities enable large-scale, on-premises, and cloud-based Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions, including PortalGuard and WEB-key, as well as customized enterprise solutions.

BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement
All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). The words "estimate," "project," "intends," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Act. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, our history of losses and limited revenue; our ability to raise additional capital; our ability to protect our intellectual property; changes in business conditions; changes in our sales strategy and product development plans; changes in the marketplace; continued services of our executive management team; security breaches; competition in the biometric technology and identity access management industries; market acceptance of biometric products generally and our products under development; the duration and severity of the current coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on our business operations, sales cycles, personnel, and the geographic markets in which we operate; delays in the development of products and statements of assumption underlying any of the foregoing as well as other factors set forth under the caption see "Risk Factors'' in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Additionally, there may be other factors of which the Company is not currently aware that may affect matters discussed in forward-looking statements and may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. In particular, the consequences of the coronavirus outbreak to economic conditions and the industry in general and the financial position and operating results of our Company, in particular, have been material, are changing rapidly, and cannot be predicted.