Authentication: Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank Deploying “Next Generation” Biometric ATMs
- In Japan Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank has just announced it was about to start setting up new ATMs relying on palm vein recognition for user authentication.
- Customers will then be invited to provide their biometric information at their branches. The promotion campaign should be using the catchphrase “You are the cash card”.
- Ogaki Kyoritsu has opted for Fujitsu’s technology designed to map palm vein networks and use the generated templates to ensure further authentication: for instance, no additional PIN code will be asked for.
- Its ATM estate including biometric sensors should be installed starting September 2012. The bank has already deployed a mobile biometric ATM estate carried around by trucks to ensure service continuity in case of natural disaster for instance.
Source: The Register
- Biometric ATMs have been growing popular in Japan since 2006: 46% (80,000) of all ATMs in the country now display fingerprint readers.
- The bank did not hesitate to use the 2011 tsunami issue in its deployment campaign and point to the risks incurred by the loss of banking credentials (mainly cards): accessing cash without these documents in case of disaster is a major concern.
- Despite some recent steps towards using biometrics, this technology could hardly be used in France as the protection of personal data is still closely watched over by the CNIL. In fact, banks are not allowed to store biometric data (end 2011, plans to set up a credit bureau to fight over-indebtedness have indeed been dropped).