What Is Anti-Spoofing and How Does It Secure Biometric Authentication?
It is predicted that the global digital payments market will have a value of US$204.1 billion by 2028. [1] This digital payment growth is being driven by ever-increasing consumer demand. With increasing reliance on the digital sphere to handle our finances, personal details, and more, robust security protocols are essential for any company looking to build consumer confidence.
Ensuring the security of our data and assets has become a priority for both individuals and large organizations that manage and access such information. As the name suggests, fingerprint spoofing involves the use of a fake finger with a replicated fingerprint of the authorized user, which can enable fraudsters to gain entry to devices that rely on a fingerprint to authenticate a user’s identity.
The Drive for Convenience
The growth in the digital payments market comes from the unparalleled convenience that these technologies offer the consumer. With digital payments, transactions may be made at a time and location that suits the customer, quickly and conveniently.
The Risk of Fingerprint Spoofing
Fraud is a significant issue for the payments industry, with the latest report from UK Finance revealing that the UK suffered losses of £574 million on payment cards in 2021 alone [2]. While biometric authentication brings additional convenience and security to smart cards, as expected, criminals have been quick to respond to the emergence of biometric-based security techniques, and “fingerprint spoofing” attacks emerged as a means to fraudulently gain access to protected devices.
The Rise of Anti-Spoof Technology
With the right protective technology, however, this risk can be contained. Anti-spoofing technology is an innovative means of securing contactless payment cards and other devices that make use of fingerprint authentication. As a result, it’s now seen as an essential component of any biometric authentication method.
The Role of Biometric Authentication in Consumer Trust
Biometrics has long been seen as a vital tool in the fight against cybercrime, thanks to several factors. By using a unique personal identifier to access online accounts or give permission for contactless access or payments, biometrics have shown themselves to be an ideal solution to counter the risk of fraud or theft. With modern security systems now focusing on a multi-factor approach (where a user must provide two or more “proofs” of identity) based on presenting something you know (such as a password or PIN), something you have (such as a card or other token), or something you are (biometric verifiers such as fingerprint, voice, or facial recognition), there’s no doubt that overall, organizations are taking steps to ensure that our data is becoming far more secure.
Adding Biometrics to Payment Cards
With the latest anti-spoofing technology built into the card secure element or chip itself, a contactless payment card can deliver the benefits of a highly effective biometric authentication approach without putting the user at risk from fraudulent misuse or theft. With no compromise to the customer experience, transactions remain quick and effortless, helping financial institutions to thrive in this growing digital payments market.
Resources:
[1] https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/why-anti-spoofing-fingerprint-technology-is-essential-for-the-continued-growth-of-digital-payments/
[2] https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/policy-and-guidance/reports-publications/fraud-facts-2021
