Selfies Might Be the Next MasterCard Online Verification Tool

MasterCard is attempting to revolutionizing payment verification with an experimental smartphone application that allows people to authenticate their identity and authorize internet purchases with a face recognition scan. This will make buying things online a lot easier than it has been before. Users will be able to take a picture of themselves to verify their payment.

THIS WILL FUEL THE SELFIE GENERATION

Users will have to download the MasterCard phone app and at checkout they will be instructed to hold up their device and wink at the camera. Security experts say that this generation, which is seemingly addicted to selfies, will surely appreciate the idea.

PASSWORDS CAN BE STOLEN, FACES CANNOT

Currently, users can use what is called a “secure code” that will need a password when they are shopping online. This current system using a password is not as safe as the new feature that will be introduced. Passwords can be compromised, stolen or forgotten.
MasterCard will be starting small by introducing a small pilot program using 500 individuals. It will implement the use of finger marks as well as face scans for internet transactions.
MasterCard has announced that they have collaborated with every smartphone manufacturer, and several banks, to make this verification process possible. Yes, this means Apple, Google, Blackberry, Samsung and Windows. They said that a pop-up will request the users approval after they purchase something. The users that choose to use the face scan as their authentication method will have to look at the camera, focus on it and wink once.

A WINK IS MORE SECURE

The security investigators at MasterCard feel that blinking is the best method to prevent thieves from just holding up a picture of their victim. This wink or blink will be required as a part of the software in order to work. During online shopping, banks need to verify their identities, so this will make payment verification a lot smoother than before.
This is expected to come out next year, and will be in addition to the fingerprints that are stored on personal devices and will be the more trendy version of this.


 

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