Lloyds Banking Group has announced an exclusive collaboration with Microsoft to trial new security features with customers.
The collaboration will enable the testing of biometric authentication with customers which log onto their Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland online banking sites.
Lloyds will be running a pilot in the second half of the year to test the Windows Hello functionality with Windows 10 users that happen to access their bank accounts online.
Windows Hello is a more personal and secure way to get instant access to Windows 10 devices using a fingerprint or facial recognition. With this, users will have the option to log in to their accounts using their face or fingerprint instead of typing in their passwords.
This means devices will recognise the user, instead of having to remember an assortment of letters and numbers that are forgotten or could for any reason be guessed.
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There is an inclusion of special hardware and software which also binds the device to the user and creates a data representation of a face. This is not accessible with an image, to prevent the risk of an impersonator using a photograph for access.
Ryan Asdourian, Windows & Devices Lead, Microsoft UK said: “This Lloyds Banking Group pilot marks another significant step towards an era of more personal computing. With more than 400 million active users of Windows 10 able to take advantage of Windows Hello, it’s great to see a major financial services institution looking at how it can apply this technology to transform the customer experience.”
The cameras on Windows 10 devices use infrared technology to identify faces to enable customers to be recognised in a variety of lighting conditions.
Asdourian said: “Windows Hello enables users to log in to a Windows devices in less than two seconds and this use of advanced biometric technology will provide Lloyds Banking Group customers with a more seamless and frictionless experience without compromising security.”
The data is stored locally on the device and only shared with the user. Windows 10 users will also have full control of how log into the device and can opt out of Windows Hello if they wish. Online Banking passwords are still able to be used.
