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How safe is voice recognition and fingerprint ID ?
HSBC has become the first bank in the UK to roll out voice
recognition technology for its telephone banking system, and has also embraced fingerprint scanners for its smartphone app.
But how do they work and are they safe ?
How does it work ?
It works in two ways . The HSBC and first Direct apps for the iPhone will use the built in fingerprint scanner within the iPhone 5s , iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s to identify the user , in the same way they can unlock the phone and use it to authenticate purchases through Apple pay.
Over the telephone , the voice recognition system monitors more than 100 unique identifiers in a person's voice . These include the cadence ,accent and pronunciation , as well as sounds that indicate the shape and size of the larynx , nasal passage and vocal tract.
Is it going to make my life easier ?
HSBC hopes that the voice recognition will remove the need to remember passwords , codes and some of the other identification information currently required to use telephone banking , making the process faster and easier.
The touch ID integration will also speed up logging into the mobile banking app , while helping keep it secure .
How does voice recognition work ?
The technology provided by voice recognition firm Nuance builds a so-called "voice-ID" from a quick training session , which records and analyse the way people say words , the sounds of their mouth , tongue , voice box and breathing . When the person then tries to login they are asked ti say a few words which are compared to the voice ID.
Can it be fooled by a mimic ?
The way a voice sounds to the human ear is very different to the way it sounds to a computer. It may be possible to sound like another person , but it will be almost impossible to recreate all of the 100 or so physical and behavioral aspects of someone's speech and voice ID
What if you've got cold and you sound different ?
The voice ID system is robust enough to identify an individual even if they have a cold because it analyse so many markers in a person's voice. Your accent , cadence , pronunciation and physical attributes do not change even if you are a bit stuffed up.
The voice ID system is robust enough to identify an individual even if they have a cold because it analyse so many markers in a person's voice. Your accent , cadence , pronunciation and physical attributes do not change even if you are a bit stuffed up.
The same goes for when you're attempting ti phone with crappy reception , unless the call drops mid-way through.
What if i'm out on a street or in a noisy office ?
Most smartphones have a noise cancellation technology built into it , which removes a significant proportion on ambient noise. The rest is dealt with by Nuance and its voice ID system, meaning its likely only to be an issue if you're trying to log in when standing next to an air raid siren or similar.
Is it used by others ?
Other banks , including Barclay's , have been using these voice-recognition systems for a limited number of customers for a couple of years . Barclays'system, for instance , is only available to a subset of wealthy customers. No breaches through the use of voice recognition have been reported.
Other banks , including Barclay's , have been using these voice-recognition systems for a limited number of customers for a couple of years . Barclays'system, for instance , is only available to a subset of wealthy customers. No breaches through the use of voice recognition have been reported.
Is your fingerprint safe ?
For Apple's iPhone with touch ID sensors under the home button , the fingerprint is stored securely within an encrypted section of the phone. When the user touches the home button it compares the fingerprint to those recorded within the phone and wither clears or denies access. The fingerprint is never sent away from the phone or given to any company or Apple.
Can you use a dead finger ?
No, your fingers are safe as long as the criminal knows the phone works.
The touch ID sensor uses two methods for reading a fingerprint. It uses capacitive sensor, which detects a small electrical charge given by your skin-the same technology a touchscreen uses to detect taps.
But it also uses a radio frequency scanner to read the fingerprint on the living tissue a couple of layers beneath the top layer. This layer can only be read when living , hence a dead finger won't work, unless it is kept alive somehow.
#PEACE
