With the proliferation of smartphones and the Always on connected lifestyle, we, nowadays, tend to do everything on-the-go. Whether it’s browsing the web for info, updating our social accounts, instant messaging, watching videos or replying emails, we can conveniently do it anytime, anywhere via our phones. Increasingly, we’re seeing more people banking on the go as well. I’m one of those who check my account balance, do bank transfers and make payment online, via my mobile.
Security at your fingertips, literally
There’s also a trend of smartphones having fingerprint scanners built-in – providing a safe, secure and instant way to authenticate your identity and unlock your device.
This of course, is only the tip of the iceberg. Biometric authentication technology with devices like the Apple iPhone ( “TouchID”) or the Samsung Galaxy S6 removes the hassle of keying in passwords or swiping patterns.
What if that same secure, convenient fingerprint authentication technology can be used for mobile banking? You’ll be thrilled to know that you can do just that now, with Hong Leong Connect.
Malaysia’s first
The bank is the first bank in Malaysia to allow transactions via biometric authentication. The innovative bank has won several accolades for its technological advancements including Malaysia’s Best Internet Bank 2015 by Global Banking & Finance Review Best Retail Payment Project Award by The Asian Banker Magazine; and Top 5 in the CIO Top 100 Awards under the Growth Category.
The prototype project kicked off in June, and has since been improved and enhanced. It is now officially available as an option for Hong Leong customers. If you’re a HLB customer, you can opt to use your fingerprint to gain access to Connect Mobile.
Is biometric authentication safe?
A fraud-proof security system for your finances is of utmost importance. Having said that, fingerprint scanning is one of several biometric authentication methods that’s been proven to be safe and secure. Biometric authentication uses unique biological characteristics of a person and essentially cannot be replicated.
Fingerprint scanning as implemented in Apple’s TouchID for instance, doesn’t actually store your actual fingerprint on the device. Instead, your fingerprint is converted into a mathematical sequence that’s stored in a secure enclave of the phone’s chip. Nothing is stored on any server.
One important factor is speed and convenience. Fingerprint scanning gets rid of the hassle of remembering and keying in your passcode, or swiping a pattern passcode.
Biometric technology on smartphones is also improving quickly, now able to scan and authenticate in under 0.5 seconds. Newer devices also support 360-degree scans.
So, in a nutshell, it’s instant, secure and convenient.
So what can you do with Connect Mobile?
You’ll be able to check you balance, perform card-less withdrawals, perform fund transfers as well las make PEx+ merchant payments.
You’ll need to be using a non-jailbroken iPhone 5s and above, which has TouchID built-in; or non-rooted Android fingerprint scanner enabled devices like the Samsung Galaxy S6 running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and above.
Giving Connect Mobile a spin
I downloaded the Android version of Connect Mobile on my Galaxy Note5. The app’s pretty simple to use, with the added convenience of viewing Instant Balance and also using the Loan Calculator. There’s also the added convenience of locating the nearest ATM or branch via a built-in Locator.
The future of mobile banking, now
Hong Leong Connect offers a glimpse of the future, today. A mobile future that’s instant and secure. So if you’re a HLB customer and own an TouchID enabled iPhone or fingerprint scanner enabled Android device, give Hong Leong Connect a shot.
