Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 29-11-2017

While Apple’s iPhone X has taken the country by storm, concerns have been raised that Face ID which can be used to log into banking apps will make users vulnerable to fraud or theft.

Apple’s new flagship device which was launched in South Africa on 24 November has no home button and uses facial recognition to unlock the phone.

The facial recognition feature can also be used to log into banking apps on the phone after the device is linked to the users banking profile.

First National Bank (FNB) says while fingerprint ID and facial recognition biometric technology provides banking app users with a convenient and more secure alternative to traditional password and pin authentication methods, they do have other security measures in place.

Head of Digital Banking at FNB Giuseppe Virgillito said: “We employ a multi-layered security model that does not just rely on single factor authentication. The technology is increasingly gaining prominence globally amongst consumers and multinational financial services institutions.”

Virgillito says consumers opting for biometrics based authentication on the FNB Banking App should familiarise themselves with the technology and security measures available to them.