Mastercard trials selfies as password replacement

It will work like this: a pop-up will ask you to confirm your identity when you reach the checkout, and users will have the option to choose either fingerprint scanning or facial recognition as their confirmation. A clear security concern here is that as well as authorizing payments by pointing a cameraphone at one’s face, the system might be foiled by simply using a photograph. “MasterCard’s security researchers decided blinking is the best way to prevent a thief from just holding up a picture of you and fooling the system”, he further explained.

Taking selfies could possibly be used as an alternative to passwords if new trial technology is successful. “I think they’ll find it cool“, Bhalla said.

When a user stares and blinks at the MasterCard app it verifies that it is an actual human who is in front of the camera and not a static photo. “They’ll embrace it.” If so, this will be a unique and potentially fun way to cut down on fraudulent purchases.

According to CNNMoney, customers will be required to download the MasterCard phone app to use the feature.

Credit cards are a good and bad thing for many shoppers.

“Mastercard will want this to be secure because they’re dealing with money”.

MasterCard’s new app will convert the face scan into numbers that are sent to MasterCard via the internet.

MasterCard has partnered with all major smartphone manufacturers, including Apple (AAPL, Tech30), BlackBerry (BBRY, Tech30), Google (GOOGL, Tech30), Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30), and Samsung (SSNLF), and is now finalizing agreements with two major banks.

MasterCard hopes to begin a test with 500 cardholders soon, with plans to take it worldwide next year. It has teamed up with First Tech Federal Credit Union to run its biometric pilot scheme researching areas such as facial and voice recognition, heartbeat rhythm monitoring, and fingerprint authentication for approving purchases online.