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Banks attempting to use latest technologies for ATM cards
Commercial banks are considering applying the latest technologies for security solutions for ATM cards since they are increasingly worried about the rising number of cases of ATM demolition and money theft.
According to the State Bank of Vietnam, to date, 23 million bank payment cards have been issued, while there are 11,000 ATM s throughout the country. The number of card users accounts for nearly ¼ of the total population.
However, ATM card holders are not satisfied with the quality of service, complaining that they regularly meet trouble with ATMs. Especially, recently banks have witnessed new tricks of stealing money. With just simple tools, thieves have taken away hundreds of million dong.
The Hanoi Police believes that in order to deal with the crimes, it is necessary to apply the latest security solutions, such as using fingerprint-based identification system instead of the currently applied PIN code.
According to Nguyen Chinh Hung, Deputy Head of the Criminal Technique Division of the Hanoi Police, his division is building up technology solutions to protect ATMs. These include anti-theft devices like black boxes which receive information and treats urgent signals sent to it; the alarm system installed on ATMs’ covers and cash box; and the controller connecting with phones (The device needs to be turned off when using ATMs, or it will make false alarm)
“With the support of the above said devices, if commercial banks cooperate with us, we will be able to fight effectively against money theft at ATMs,” Hung affirmed.
He went on to say that using cards is a growing tendency especially because they are convenient: people can go shopping or traveling without having to bring cash with themselves. However, cards require smart security solutions for them. “In long term, I think that the best security solution for ATM cards is the fingerprint-based identification system,” Hung said.
Also according to Hung, the identification system will help minimize risks, because everyone has unique fingerprints that cannot be forged. Meanwhile, signatures can be counterfeited, while thieves also can use identity cards of other peoples to make transactions.
“I can say that this is an absolutely perfect security solution,” he said.
Especially, fingerprint authentication transactions will be applauded by those people, who have unstable signatures, elderly people, who have inconstant writing and signatures, those people, who have many kinds of signatures or forget their signatures. The solution will make clients feel absolutely secure when making transactions with banks, because they understand that no one can make transactions under their names without their authorization.
With the suggestions, on February 14, 2011 the Asia Commercial Bank ACB became a pioneer in applying the fingerprint authentication technology. With the new solution, clients who come to the bank to make transactions will put their fingers to fingerprint reader machines, so that the system recognizes the accounts’ owners or authorized persons. The system can give results within two seconds, while the fingerprint samples are saved in the digital database.
Meanwhile, other banks are still hesitant to apply the security solution. Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Vietinbank, said that the fingerprint-based system will badly affect the number of transactions. The problem is that in Vietnam, Vietnamese people have the habits of using cards of relatives to make transactions. For example, wives will use husbands’ cards to withdraw money from husbands’ accounts to for family expenses. Meanwhile, men may borrow money from their brothers and use brothers’ cards to withdraw money.
“We still do not have any plan to use the fingerprint based system. We are planning to use PalmSecure, a security system which considers palm veins to strengthen the security for transactions,” Tuan said.
vietnamnet
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