HSBC installs biometrics

HSBC has become the first bank to install facial-recognition technology at its two new data centres in the UK following recent high-profile cases of identity theft.

Identity theft is now the fastest growing crime in the UK, affecting over 100,000 people at a cost of £1.7m. In response to growing concerns, the bank will be working with Surrey-based biometric experts OmniPerception to develop and install 10 ‘light immune’ facial biometric access control units over the next six to nine months. The units will be based on OmniPerception’s CheckPoint facial-recognition technology.

OmniPerception’s products have been used in police applications throughout the UK and are currently being applied for access control, data protection and general improvement of identity management.

David McIntosh, chief executive of OmniPerception, said: ‘Helping to prevent sensitive data falling into the wrong hands is clearly an important role for modern facial biometric technology.

‘By being the first to adopt facial-recognition technology for this purpose, HSBC is blazing a trail that will benefit both the banking sector and society as a whole.’