New Risk-Based Authentication Strategy Sets Standard for Secure and Inclusive Digital Banking in the Philippines
iProov, the world’s leading provider of science-based biometric identity assurance solutions, today announced that UnionDigital Bank, a pioneering digital bank in the Philippines, has deployed iProov Dynamic and Express Liveness solutions to protect against account takeover and mule activity. iProov’s solutions now power UnionDigital Bank’s risk-based authentication strategy, delivering unique flexibility to apply heightened security for high-risk transactions while ensuring a fast, frictionless experience for everyday use. Risk-based authentication allows the bank to support its mission to deliver a safe and inclusive digital experience for the underbanked and underserved communities in the Philippines who depend on mobile devices for everyday financial services.
As organizations around the world unite to mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a global surge in sophisticated, AI-driven threats has put the financial services sector on high alert. This has intensified the focus in the Philippines on enhancing resilience against cyber threats like account takeovers (where fraudsters gain illegal access to a user’s account)and mule activity (which involves using accounts to launder illicit funds). To combat these risks, UnionDigital Bank decided to upgrade its previous device-based biometrics technology to align with the increasing focus from financial regulators globally, including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on strengthening security measures to protect consumers.
iProov’s dual liveness solutions are easy to use and deliver unparalleled identity assurance and proactive deepfake and fraud detection. A unique feature of iProov’s solutions is that the bank can select between them on every transaction, to ensure the right level of identity assurance for each specific action. Express Liveness provides fast, seamless verification for transaction limit increases, while iProov Dynamic Liveness delivers heightened fraud resilience for new device log-ins. This enhances security and deepens customer confidence while maintaining a seamless user experience, a model the bank plans to expand in the future.
“Our mission is to uplift the lives of all Filipinos through a secure, trusted, and accessible digital bank for all Filipinos, and that requires deploying resilient infrastructure capable of addressing sophisticated fraud,” said Russell Hernandez, Chief Information Security Officer at UnionDigital Bank. “Our vision is for every Filipino to use UnionDigital Bank to empower their lives. As we shift toward risk-based authentication, we need a flexible and future-ready solution. iProov’s internationally proven ability to deliver ease of use, speed, and high security assurance — backed by reliable vendor support — ensures we can evolve our fraud defenses while sustaining customer trust and confidence.”
“We are delighted to have been chosen by UnionDigital Bank to support its mission to deliver secure and truly inclusive digital banking across the Philippines,” said Andrew Bud, founder and CEO of iProov. “Proving that someone is who they claim to be online is at the heart of digital trust. Our technology provides the highest level of identity assurance on virtually any device to provide that protection. This ensures UnionDigital Bank can secure all its customers with an effortless and resilient solution, which is especially crucial for underbanked communities who rely on mobile devices for their financial needs.”
