Bank of America to Enable Biometric Security for PC Banking with Intel Online Connect

Bank of America and Intel will work together to bring biometric security to PC-based online banking, the companies have announced.

The solution will come by way of Intel Online Connect, a security platform designed for use with Windows 10 devices. With the support of the Windows Hello authentication platform, Intel Online Connect allows user to verify their identities via fingerprint scan. Bank of America will integrate the system into its online banking services starting next year, and says it will be the first financial services company to use Intel Online Connect for customer authentication.

The system will be combined with Intel Software Guard Extensions, allowing developers to help ensure that sensitive data and code are protected from hackers.

In a statement announcing the effort, Bank of America Digital Banking head Michelle Moore suggested that it is being driven by larger trends in consumer behavior, asserting that “[a]s online and mobile banking usage continues to grow, we’re focused on implementing the latest technologies that will give our customers the best possible user experience.”

Bank of America has reportedly also been exploring iris-based authentication for mobile banking at a time when Samsung has been pioneering the use of iris recognition for user authentication on its newest flagship smartphones.

As for biometric security via Intel Online Connect, Bank of America’s move could have a considerable impact, with Moore indicating that the bank’s digital banking services currently reach 34 million customers.