PhoneFactor Offers Three-Factor Authentication Using Voice Biometrics
Integrated Voiceprint Verification Services Enable Heightened Security without High Costs
January 19, 2010 - PhoneFactor, a leading global provider of multi-factor security services, announced today the availability of biometric verification for its phone-based authentication platform. By leveraging an existing voice channel, the new offering simultaneously verifies something you have, your telephone, and something you are, your voiceprint, for the second and third factors of authentication.
With IT security threats at an all-time high, utilizing three separate factors to authenticate user access is more than a best practice. For many organizations, it is a necessity. However, in most cases a biometric reader, such as a fingerprint scanner, must be installed on each end user’s system. The cost and IT resources required to purchase and deploy biometric readers created an often insurmountable challenge.
With PhoneFactor’s new offering, no biometric readers are required. The user’s voiceprint is simply verified during the PhoneFactor authentication call. The process is simple, secure, and cost-effective.
- Simple for End Users and IT Administrators – Users simply receive a call when logging in. They answer and speak their passphrase to complete the login. That’s it. For IT administrator, the process of enrolling users is equally simple. Voice authentication services can be enabled for all or just specific users. Once enabled, users can enroll through the PhoneFactor User Portal or during their first authentication call. To complete the enrollment, users just record a passphrase.
- Strong, Reliable Biometric Verification – Like a fingerprint, each individual’s voice is unique and has characteristics, such as pitch and rhythm, which can be mapped and used to verify identity. PhoneFactor’s proven voice mapping model uses multiple voiceprint algorithms to ensure that authorized users can be verified regardless of environmental factors, like excess noise or minor voice variations, while keeping unauthorized users from being authenticated. The authentication call is out-of-band offering protection from man-in-the-middle attacks and keystroke loggers.
- Low Total Cost of Ownership – Because there are no tokens and no biometric readers to buy, deploy, and support, both the initial and ongoing costs for PhoneFactor are materially lower than other multi-factor authentication systems.
“Utilizing all three factors to authenticate users provides the maximum level of protection,” said Steve Dispensa, CTO, PhoneFactor. “PhoneFactor’s voice authentication service makes this easier and more cost effective than ever – putting greater security within reach of enterprises, banking and financial services organizations, and government agencies.”
Learn more about PhoneFactor Biometric Authentication.
