Los payment security protocols They are becoming increasingly advanced, but even today the main reason why many people do not use them e-commerce is characterized by distrust when handing over your data.This fear is understandable considering that there are unreliable websites and that, at first glance, it's difficult to distinguish them. Even online stores with legitimate intentions may be attacked by hackers who compromise data integrity of its customers.
To respond to this scenario, more and more companies have opted to create new security systems more robust and harder to corrupt, where the digital payments and the biometric authentication they have a leading role.
New digital payment methods and their relationship to security
Shopping is a daily activity that we perform several times a day. In a context where priority is given to comfort and the speed in transactionsDigital payments are gaining ground over cash. Cards, mobile apps, transfers, and even cryptocurrencies have become established as safe alternatives when combined with reliable technologies such as facial recognition and fingerprint.
However, this transformation has also brought new threats. A very significant part of the Cybercrime is linked to scams related to digital paymentsThis necessitates the constant strengthening of protection mechanisms. The key lies in developing solutions that protect both the buyer and the seller, minimizing associated risks. fraudneighbourhood, data theft to unauthorized access financial information.
Amongst the secure payment methods The most common are credit and debit cards with strong authentication (SMS, PIN or banking app), payment gateways that act as intermediaries to avoid exposing customer data, the electronic wallets linked to digital identity, the Bank transfers traditional or instant, payments with cryptocurrencies, based on blockchain, the cash on delivery and payments through QR codes that avoid sharing sensitive information during the transaction.
Biometrics: the great leap forward in payment authentication
Taking into account that in the we currently use different devices To log into the same account, it's difficult to identify if identity theft is occurring, especially when making payments. This is where the biometrics has become a key technology for verifying the user in a speed boat tour, comfortable y reliable.
Biometric systems use the device's sensors to create individual templates from unique physical characteristics (such as the face, iris, or fingerprint) or behavioral traits (such as tone of voice or certain usage patterns). This template is stored in encrypted form and used later for compare and authenticate to the user when requesting to make a payment.
According to various industry studies, integrating biometric authentication in payment processes it allows for a very significant reduction in risk of identity theft fraud, while improving the user experience by eliminating reliance on hard-to-remember passwords or one-time codes.
Types of biometrics applied to payments
Security companies have evolved towards use of biometric features such as the iris, fingerprints, or facial features. A very visible example is mobile phones that use fingerprints o facial recognition to access the device or authorize operations; devices like iPhones popularized these functions among the general public. There are also solutions such as MasterCard Identity Check that use the smartphone to recognize the user through a selfie.
Among the most widespread types of biometrics for payments are:
- facial recognition, which analyzes elements such as the distance between the eyes, the shape of the jaw or the texture of the skin to generate a unique template and compare it in each sensitive operation.
- FingerprintIn this process, the device's sensor captures the ridge and valley patterns of the finger; these are then converted into an encrypted template that is compared with each authentication attempt.
- Speech recognition, which uses spoken commands to verify the user's identity through unique vocal patterns.
- Iris or eye biometry, especially valued in environments that require a high level of security due to the difficulty of counterfeiting.
Even more personal factors, such as heart rate and circulationThey are also capable of identifying the user and are virtually impossible to counterfeit. Keyo, an American payment platform, is able to identify the user through the veins in the palm of the hand, which is known as technology palm veinThis method generates a digital map of the veins using infrared light and links it to the payment account; on some mobile phones this is possible thanks to the infrared reader located next to the cameraoffering contactless, hygienic and very difficult to copy authentication.
How biometric data is protected and stored
Biometrics is based on extremely sensitive dataTherefore, its protection is a priority. Reputable providers store this information securely. local and encrypted on the device, through dedicated security components such as Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) on Android or Secure Enclave in iOS. These chips function as a "safe" isolated from the rest of the system, so that even if the device suffers from malware, the biometric data remains protected.
Furthermore, biometric templates do not store a literal image of the face or fingerprint, but rather a mathematical representationThis adds an extra layer of privacy. To further enhance security, modern systems also integrate encryption techniques, liveness detection or proof of life to prevent someone from trying to deceive the system with photos, videos, or masks, and authentication standards such as FIDOwhich reduce reliance on traditional passwords.
There is no doubt that it is worth keeping a close eye on the new payment methods and biometric authentication developed by banks, retailers, and technology companies, as they allow for safer operations, reduced fraud, and much smoother shopping experiences both in physical stores and online.