Startup Porticus Technology recently emerged from stealth mode with biometric security technology that uses the dynamic range of a person's voice to authenticate callers on interactive voice response (IVR) systems.
Porticus' technology comes in the form of a VoIP gateway appliance or a set of APIs that integrate into IVRs through a Java interface. The Needham, Mass.-based vendor earlier this month also rolled out an embedded solution for wireless devices that authenticates mobile transactions and allows remote workers to access corporate networks using their unique voice "footprint," said Germano Di Mambro, founder and CEO of Porticus.
"Instead of typing a PIN number, you just speak your password, and the technology detects your voiceprint and authenticates you to the network," Di Mambro said.
By year's end, federal regulations will require two-factor authentication for companies that use online banking systems. Porticus' solution is attractive in this sector for the strong security and time savings it offers customers, he said.
For example, the authentication process with current IVR systems normally takes about 30 seconds per call because users have to provide several pieces of information for authentication. Porticus' technology streamlines the process because callers only need to speak their password, he said.
