U.S. Bank Pilots Voice Biometrics as Password Replacement

U.S. Bank is exploring the potential of voice biometrics as a secure alternative to traditional passwords.

This initiative positions U.S. Bank alongside other financial giants like Wells Fargo and Barclays, which have also been experimenting with voice biometrics to allow users to log into applications or websites by speaking a specific word or phrase, which is then matched against a pre-recorded template to verify identity.

The pilot program, launched in April in partnership with Nuance Communications, is currently being tested by U.S. Bank employees, including those in Southern Nevada. Participants use a simple passphrase such as “my voice is my password” to access various banking tools such as checking account balances, searching transactions, and making payments on mobile devices.

Dominic Venturo, U.S. Bank’s chief innovation officer for the payment division, highlighted the convenience and security advantages of voice biometrics over traditional passwords, especially on mobile devices with small screens.

“Customers are becoming accustomed to using their voice to interact with their smartphones and can become frustrated with entering passwords,” said Dominic Venturo, U.S. Bank’s chief innovation officer for the payment division. “Exploring a spoken passphrase login … is a logical next step in our work in biometrics.”

Participants in the pilot program must initially log in using their user ID and password, after which they can enroll their voice by providing three samples. Once registered, users can log in simply by speaking their passphrase. The fallback authentication mechanism for any technical issues remains the traditional user ID and password method.

Industry analysts such as Dan Miller from Opus Research have predicted a significant increase in the use of voice biometrics, with registered voiceprints expected to rise from 10 million to over 225 million by next year. “Voice biometrics strikes the right balance of strong authentication and usability,” Miller said.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

–

June 18, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis