AIB deploys voice biometrics for password resets

Allied Irish Banks has deployed a new voice-biometric password reset service in a bid to cut helpdesk call times.

Employees of the organisation can now reset system passwords by speaking a few words over the phone to a voice verification system by voice-based biometric identity verification company VoiceVault. The system verifies the user from their voice print then tells them what there new password is after the password has been reset. The system eliminates the need for users to call helpdesk staff.

According to Niall Hearn, Enterprise IT Services executive at AIB the system is more secure than going through the helpdesk to reset passwords as the human element has been removed. Another benefit is that the service is available 24 hours a day.

"Internal IT security is critically important to AIB and we're committed to implementing best practice in IT security across the group," said Hearn. "This means the process of resetting internal IT passwords must be secure, efficient and cost effective. VoiceVault met our security requirements, has proved easy for our staff to use and is reducing the volume of calls to our IT helpdesk by a significant margin."