U.K. banks introduce Touch ID access to mobile apps, security expert has doubts
In an industry first for the country, two U.K. banks, RBS and NatWest, have announced that they will introduce Apple Inc.’s Touch ID login support for their respective mobile banking apps.
RBS and NatWest told the BBC that customers wishing to use Touch ID to access their banking apps must use existing security information to activate the functionality. Once activated, they’d only need Touch ID to log in.
Three failed login attempts with Touch ID will see the feature deactivated and customers will need to re-enter their passcodes to access the banking app.
To further protect customers, certain in-app payment and transaction types will require additional verification and limits apply to transactions involving payments to new beneficiaries.
The banks will make the feature available to all customers with the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Between the two banks about 880,000 customers currently use one of these three iPhone models to access their banking apps.
The BBC report notes that security experts harbor concerns over the use of Touch ID to access banking applications.
Touch ID, which allows users to unlock their iPhone and log into apps that support the feature, came under heavy fire after it was ‘hacked’ only two days after it was introduced with the launch of the iPhone 5s in 2013.
A hacker group known as the Chaos Computer Club posted an online video demonstrating how they used a fingerprint lifted from a glass surface to circumvent Touch ID.
Ben Schlabs, of SRLabs, a German hacking think tank, told the BBC: “The security implications are the same; it is just as dangerous… I think it has been shown that it is pretty easy to spoof it and the risks aren’t fully understood.”
It is worth noting that there have been no reported exploits of Touch ID for malicious purposes or monetary gain.
According to the two banks, both part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, each week around three million of its customers use a mobile app to access their accounts.
Stuart Haire, managing director, RBS and NatWest Direct Bank, said: “There has been a revolution in banking, as more and more of our customers are using digital technology to bank with us. Adding Touch ID to our mobile banking app makes it even easier and more convenient for customers to manage their finances on the move and directly responds to their requests.”
photo credit: Janitors via photopin cc
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