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Vietnamese Bank Issues Fingerprint-Enabled Debit Cards

Posted by timothy on from the can't-come-soon-enough dept.

sweetpea86 writes "Mekong Development has become the first bank in Vietnam to launch fingerprint authentication enabled debit cards. Fingerprints are captured by Mekong Development at the point of opening an account, and then can be used, instead of a pin, to access funds. Not only has Mekong's account base tripled through the use of fingerprint technology since its launch in June, but the deposit balance per debit card account is two times higher than a regular account."

11 of 36 comments (clear)

  1. Great by Antipater · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now I can't even eat cheetos anymore without giving away my bank pin!

    --
    Everything is better with chainsaws.
    1. Re:Great by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Interesting

      So now, instead of just having to worry about your card getting lifted they will also want to chop off your fingers?

      No need for the violence. You don't even need to have the victim in the room.

      (Do not attempt. Professional Driver on a Closed Course. Do Not Try This at Home. Your Mileage May Vary. Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Ball.)

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:Great by TheCarp · · Score: 2

      A few assumptions there, not the least of which is intelligent criminals.

      That said, I think both this and the original post miss the point. I doubg jacking people's fingers for card robberies is going to happen. It requires the criminal to not only be willing to steal a card and info, but, to actually harm someone who is complying with them.... less people will be willing, especially isnce it will be a more heinous crime if they are caught.

      What this really does, and I think will do well, is put a stop to wholesale theft. This doesn't foil the guy who robs you at gun point, he will ALWAYS get what he wants (even if it means you personally withdrawing the cash, and keeping your finger).

      who it foils is the guy who disguises a card reader and camera to steal your stripe info and pin. Now get can get the mag stripe but the pin is your fingerprint. Can he recreate it from video? Maybe, sometimes. It wont be as fast, or easy.,..and will require him to retool to do it... it probably kills his business.

      I doubt it totally kills the fraud and theft...but raises the bar on bulk theft.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
  2. Great by NettiWelho · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So now, instead of just having to worry about your card getting lifted they will also want to chop off your fingers?

  3. Biometrics are not secrets by dido · · Score: 4, Informative

    I do hope that they back it up with a PIN, making it full three-factor authentication. While biometrics are useful in being unique identifiers, they are not secrets. An attacker could use the gummi bear fingerprint technique using latent fingerprints extracted from a stolen card...

    --
    Qu'on me donne six lignes écrites de la main du plus honnête homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.
    1. Re:Biometrics are not secrets by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I do hope that they back it up with a PIN, making it full three-factor authentication. While biometrics are useful in being unique identifiers, they are not secrets. An attacker could use the gummi bear fingerprint technique using latent fingerprints extracted from a stolen card...

      In addition, The Mythbusters also fooled fingerprint scanners using the same techniques as the Schneier link (above), and also with a photocopy of a fingerprint:

      • A 3-D thumbprint imprinted on a latex strip to be worn over someone else's thumb.
      • A 3-D thumbprint imprinted on ballistics gel, which has the same viscosity and density as human tissue.
      • A photocopy of a scanned image of Grant's thumbprint.
      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    2. Re:Biometrics are not secrets by climb_no_fear · · Score: 2

      The fingerprint reader at my local video store failed miserably and they had to give me a regular PIN. I do rock climb a lot in the summer and my fingerprints sort of wear off. What about people like me? Can't you bank there?

  4. Why "instead of"? by Picass0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The use of a fingerprint and a pin together would raise the security further still. Many institutions are switching to two forms of authentication, which is why you're seeing more security questions. A fingerprint is a second authentication that an account holder doesn't need to remember.

  5. Why not just get rid of the card? by DeTech · · Score: 2

    Finger prints and a pin should be enough to locate your account number. Not having a card to lose wold be an awesome side effect.

  6. Point / Counterpoint. by localman57 · · Score: 2
    On the one hand, they may well have implemented 3 factor security. That's pretty cool. But on the other hand, you have to put your money in a fucking Vietnamese bank to get it. From Reuters in May of this year:

    Last November, State Bank of Vietnam Governor Nguyen Van Binh said eight small banks were "unhealthy" while in January he said 10 percent of the country's nearly 50 banks were "ailing."

    Apparently they have a deposit insurance program, but it's limited to about $3,000.

  7. Re:Point / Counterpoint. by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Luckily, you'll presumably be moving your money out of a bank in some other country, so the risks should even out somewhat...