Passive Voice Authentication: closeness and security

Saving time in registering and verifying a customer through a regular call with minimal friction for the user: this is the main advantage of passive voice authentication.

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n its commitment to apply new forms and security layers to transactions, this new feature has been added to the TrustCloud ID module. The possibilities of biometric analysis are immense, as we can see with these types of tests developed to improve people’s lives and, in particular, their relationship with organizations and banks.

When phoning a call center, a few control questions are asked to certify that the person on the other end of the phone is who they claim to be and to start assisting them with their query, this helps the agent record their voice. Almost instantly, the solution returns a confirmation that the sound record has been saved and is correct. The customer is unaware that this process is occurring during their inquiry, producing a 100% frictionless experience. On a subsequent call, the solution takes just a few seconds to confirm that the customer on the other end matches that previous voice file.

Passive voice biometrics is one of the most secure methods as each person’s voice pattern is unique, just like a fingerprint. The technology that records this unique pattern crosses all the variables found in the client’s emission and establishes what is known as a “voiceprint”, translating all the parameters of the voice, and transforming it into a mathematical code. This print is your voice’s ID and no one else can have the same one. As mentioned above, this process occurs in a very short time, while the customer gives information about themself or explains the reason for their call. As opposed to active voice biometrics, where the user is asked to repeat a series of phrases to make the recording, passive testing is completely seamless; it does not disturb the caller and at the same time does not undermine the rigor of the assistance. It is based on the person’s natural way of speaking, who does not notice that this layer is being applied in the background. From this point comes another clear advantage, saving time during the call.

Passive voice biometrics has additional benefits for the customer, who feels a greater personal treatment during the service, since in a matter of seconds and at the beginning of the call, the agent has already located the user and their history. This swiftness favors the familiar care so demanded by people when accessing services remotely, especially in banking. Corporations and fintechs will have an easier time offering a customized product, since they can access a “known” user profile, and one who has an open attitude, since their experience is extremely comfortable from the beginning.

Basing safety protocols on passwords, codes and security questions is the perfect breeding-ground for fraudsters, who, without proper containment barriers, impersonate customers and can seriously harm the interests of their target. Passive voice biometrics is perfect for overcoming these vulnerabilities. Identifying legitimate customers saves costs, also by reducing transaction times, avoiding scams such as account theft or improper authorization of transactions.

For organizations who adopt this technology, it will be a remarkable benefit to be able to handle many minor procedures, including “signing” a document by voice.

Passive voice biometrics does not require the installation of scanners or other additional hardware in call centers (as is the case with systems that analyze the iris, the movement of the facial oval or the fingerprint), which is undoubtedly a benefit to be considered. As for the user, any mobile device today has a microphone, and that is all that is needed.

The identity verification solution using passive voice biometrics that TrustCloud has implemented, optimizes resources to the maximum and is a great assistance to manage all those small transactions that can be solved in just one call.