Voice Authentication Makes Sense

Problem: How does an organization really know that the person in front of them, on the phone with them or logging into their Website or intranet with a user name and password really IS the person they claim to be?

Solution: Voice authentication. Humans have unique characteristics that can’t be copied or stolen. Our eyes, fingerprints, and voices are examples most often referred to when IT security is involved. The solution we think is on the verge of expanding dramatically across both private and public sectors uses voiceprints as a biometric authentication method.

What is ‘voice authentication’? Voice authentication is a type of user authentication that uses a persons voiceprints and pattern recognition software to verify the identity of someone. Voice authentication relies on the fact that vocal characteristics, like fingerprints and the patterns of people’s irises, are unique for each individual.

Why is it better? Organizations of all types will find ways to incorporate voice authentication technology into their overall security gameplan. Whether verifying an employee logging in from a homeoffice, a credit card client calling in for account information, or a taxpayer requesting information from the IRS, voice authentication gets the job done.

The key benefit of this biometric technology over the others is that the verification can be done remotely over any phone line. Of course it needs to work, and after years of evolving, voice authentication is now ready for primetime. It’s secure, reliable, and cost effective.

Another key benefit is people have been using their voices to gain access to information over the phone since there were phones. So transitioning users from a system where a series of personal questions (birthdate, favorite pet, mother’s maiden name, etc…) to one where the user is asked to repeat a few set of random numbers so the system can verify that the voice is the users shouldn’t pose any transitioning problems.

With the exponential growth in online transactions (financial and non-financial) the need for an added layer of security on top of the ‘password’ is growing as well. When logging instead of being asked for your password, you’ll be asked to enter a phone number where you can be reached. Almost instantly the user’s phone will ring and after successfully repeating a few randomly generated numbers and the identity verification process is completed the user will be granted access.

Of course the technology needs to be secure, and it is. Of course it has to be cost effective and it appears to be.

Watch for some exciting news on this front over the coming months along with reviews of some of the players in this space.