A bank has unveiled its finger vein scanner. The Barclays Biometric Reader (BBR), developed with Hitachi, uses infra-red to identify the user by scanning their unique finger vein patterns. Even more secure than a fingerprint, according to the firms, this removes the need to remember passwords and cuts out the risk of PIN capture, identity fraud or sharing of account details.
The new device will be available to Corporate Banking and Business Banking clients who use the bank’s Barclays.Net and iPortal digital channels from early 2020. In this second version, a ‘Sign What You See’ (SWYS) activity screen provides a further safeguard against fraud. The screen displays instructions to the user describing the activity being authorised.
Martin Runow, Head of Digital Banking at Barclays Corporate Banking said that the bank was committed to combating fraud; and that the new reader is much more portable and more secure. “Our clients are increasingly mobile and the advances we’ve been able to introduce will allow them to securely manage their accounts wherever they are. This device aligns with our aim to redefine Digital Banking by putting client experience at the core of everything we do, making it easier for our corporate clients to run their business.”
Hitachi’s VeinID, smaller than its predecessor, is in use, that does not have a public record of the user’s vein pattern; and Barclays does not hold the vein pattern on their systems. Barclays’ digital banking system iPortal, which provides a single access point and sign-in for all services, has been designed to fully interact with the reader.
