Lloyds to trial biometrics for online banking

Microsoft Hello
SAY HELLO: Lloyds will pilot fingerprint and face recognition for online banking later this year

Customers of Lloyds Banking Group across the UK will soon be able to log into their online banking accounts using fingerprint or facial recognition through Microsoft’s Windows Hello biometric authentication technology. The banking group is to trial the solution with Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland customers with Windows 10 devices in the second half of this year.

“Lloyds will be running a pilot in the second half of the year to test the Windows Hello functionality with Windows 10 users accessing their bank accounts online,” Lloyds Banking Group says. “Users will have the option to log into their accounts using their face or fingerprint instead of typing in their passwords.

“Windows 10 users will stay in control of how they log into their device and can opt in or out of using Windows Hello. Online banking passwords can still be used if desired.”

“Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to Windows 10 devices using a fingerprint or facial recognition,” the company adds. “Devices will recognise the user, rather than having to remember an assortment of letters and numbers that are forgotten or could be guessed.

“Special hardware and software also binds the device to the user and creates a data representation of a face, not an image — therefore preventing access via an impersonator using a photograph.

“The cameras on Windows 10 devices use infrared technology to identify faces, so customers can be recognised in a variety of lighting conditions. Understanding how critical it is to protect biometric data from theft, the data is stored locally on the device and shared with no one but the user.”

New functionality

“With customer experience and security at the forefront of our minds, we are keen to run this pilot to explore the new functionality Windows Hello could give our customers,” says Gill Wylie, COO of group digital and transformation at Lloyds Banking Group.

“With more than 400m 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,” adds Ryan Asdourian, Windows and devices lead at Microsoft UK.

“Windows Hello enables users to log into a Windows device 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.”

Windows Hello was extended into apps and websites via the Microsoft Edge browser in July 2016. Microsoft also opened up the biometric authentication solution to wearables in June last year.

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