Account security in the financial services industry, particularly for Fiserv and FinTech professionals, has never been more critical. As SaaS developers, IT security professionals, and executives navigate an ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, it's essential to stay vigilant and implement proactive measures to ensure the protection of sensitive financial data and user accounts. The challenge in preventing account takeover lies in striking the right balance between providing users with a seamless, user-friendly experience while maintaining a robust security infrastructure that can effectively thwart malicious actors.

This article aims to present an overview of the top five fraud prevention tactics essential for professionals in the Fiserv and FinTech sectors. Each tactic will be explored in detail, illuminating its strengths and potential drawbacks, as well as providing guidance for strategic implementation. By adopting and integrating these tactics into their existing security framework, IT managers, CTOs, and CISOs can effectively bolster their organization's defense against account takeover attempts and other forms of cyber threats.

Device and Browser Fingerprinting, Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, Headless Browser Detection, Behavior Similarity Search, and 3D Liveness and Facial Biometrics are the top five tactics that merit attention and consideration. Each of these strategies brings unique advantages to the table, but it's worth noting that their effectiveness is contingent upon their suitability for a given organization's specific security needs, coupled with appropriate planning and execution.

Proactively employing these tactics to secure and verify user accounts can have a tangible impact on the overall security posture of financial services organizations. To fully optimize these prevention methods, it's critical to engage in ongoing monitoring, data analysis, and security refinements. This continuous learning process will allow IT security professionals to stay one step ahead of emerging threats and ensure that their organization's user accounts and data remain secure.

In conclusion, the focus should not only be on employing these account takeover prevention tactics individually but also on fostering collaboration within the industry. Financial services organizations that share intelligence, experiences, and best practices will be better equipped to confront the multifaceted challenges that arise in the realm of account security and fraud prevention. Leveraging the collective knowledge and resources of the Fiserv and FinTech sectors is key to driving innovation and ensuring a secure future for all stakeholders involved.

Strategy 1: Device and Browser Fingerprinting

What is device and browser fingerprinting

Device and browser fingerprinting is a technique used to identify and track individual user devices based on their specific characteristics, such as hardware components, software configurations, and browser settings. This enables organizations to recognize and monitor user behavior patterns and detect any suspicious activity that might be indicative of fraud or an account takeover attempt.

How does it work

• Unique identifiers and configurations: Fingerprinting analyzes unique traits of user devices, including operating system versions, browser types, installed plugins, screen resolutions, and time zones. These traits help build a distinct profile for each device, which can then be used to identify subsequent interactions from the same device.
• Device and browser tracking: By analyzing the collected information, organizations can track any unusual or malicious activity from specific devices, including login attempts from different geographical locations or multiple failed login attempts within a short time period.

Pros & Cons

• Pro: Improved detection of suspicious attempts: Fingerprinting enables organizations to identify and flag devices that demonstrate patterns consistent with fraud or account takeover attempts. This information can be used to trigger additional authentication steps or block access to sensitive account information until legitimate user ownership is confirmed.
• Con: May raise privacy concerns: Device and browser fingerprinting may be perceived as intrusive by users, as it involves collecting detailed information about individual devices. There might be concerns related to data privacy and compliance with data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Tactical implementation

• Select a device and browser fingerprinting tool: Identify and evaluate dedicated fingerprinting tools that can reliably capture device and browser characteristics. Some popular options include FraudFox, Canvas Defender, and DeviceAtlas. Ensure the chosen tool provides adequate support for your specific business requirements and aligns with your privacy policies.
• Integrate with existing security infrastructure: Implement the fingerprinting tool within your existing authentication and security framework, ensuring seamless integration with other components, such as single sign-on (SSO) solutions, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and user behavior analytics (UBA) tools.
• Analyze fingerprint data to refine access policies: Establish a baseline of normal device usage patterns for your user base and continually assess collected fingerprint data to detect any anomalies or inconsistencies. Leverage this analysis to make informed decisions about refining access policies, including when to request additional authentication measures or when to deny access.

Strategy 2: Implementing KYC Checks

What is KYC

Know Your Customer (KYC) checks are a fraud prevention strategy employed by many financial institutions to identify their customers and the potential risks they may pose. By verifying the identity of customers and assessing their risk level, Fiserv and FinTech organizations can strengthen their overall security posture and protect user accounts from takeover attempts.

How does it work

KYC checks typically involve three stages:

1. Identity Verification: This step involves collecting personal information such as name, address, date of birth, and government-issued identification documents (passport, driver's license, etc.) to verify a user's identity.

   
   

2. Document Authentication: Validation of identification documents to ensure they are genuine and not forged. This process may include checking for security features on the document or comparing the document image with the systems provided by the issuing authority.

   
   

3. Risk Assessment: Based on the collected information and authentication results, a risk profile is created for the customer. Higher-risk customers may require additional scrutiny or be flagged for monitoring.

   
   

Pros & Cons

Pro: Reduces fraudulent account creation - By implementing KYC checks during the account creation process, Fiserv and FinTech professionals can reduce the likelihood of fraudsters creating new accounts using stolen or false identities.

Con: May increase onboarding time - The process of collecting, verifying, and assessing user information can lengthen the onboarding process for new customers, potentially creating a less-than-optimal user experience.

Tactical implementation

To effectively implement KYC checks in your organization, follow these steps:

1. Choose a KYC solution provider: Research and select a reputable KYC solution provider that offers a range of services to match your organization's needs. Factors to consider may include the provider's experience, reputation, technology used, and cost.

   
   

2. Establish verification criteria: Determine the specific requirements for identity verification and document authentication. Ensure these criteria align with industry regulations and your organization's risk tolerance.

   
   

3. Integrate KYC checks into the onboarding process: Implement the chosen KYC solution into your existing onboarding process, whether it's during the registration process or account activation. Seamlessly integrating KYC checks can help minimize the impact on the user experience and streamline the onboarding process.

   
   

4. Monitor and refine: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your KYC checks, identifying areas that may require improvement or modification. In addition, stay informed about industry best practices, regulations, and technological advancements to ensure your KYC processes remain up-to-date and effective.

   
   

Strategy 3: Headless Browser Detection

What is headless browser detection

Headless browser detection is a security technique used to identify and prevent unauthorized or automated access to user accounts from non-human sources, such as bots that operate through headless browsers. A headless browser is a web browser without graphical user interfaces that can be controlled programmatically for automating tasks, testing website performance, and simulating user interactions. While headless browsers have legitimate use cases, such as automated testing and web scraping, they can also be exploited for malicious activities, like account takeover attempts, credential stuffing attacks, and data extraction.

How does it work

Headless browser detection works by analyzing the characteristics and behavior of incoming requests to identify whether they originate from automated scripts or bots using headless browsers. This is usually done by examining various attributes, such as user-agent strings, request headers, JavaScript execution, and browser rendering capabilities. Once a headless browser is detected, access to sensitive resources and actions can be restricted or blocked, thus preventing potential account takeover attempts.

Pros & Cons

• Pro: Mitigates brute force and automated attacks: By detecting and blocking headless browser usage, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of account takeover, as cybercriminals often rely on automated tools for brute force attacks and credential stuffing. This can help Fiserv and FinTech companies improve their security posture and protect user data.

  
  

• Con: May result in false positives: Headless browser detection techniques may be prone to false positives, where legitimate user requests are mistakenly flagged as automated access attempts. False positives can lead to legitimate users experiencing unnecessary friction or being locked out of their accounts, which might negatively impact user satisfaction and retention.

  
  

Tactical implementation

1. Choose a headless browser detection solution: Select a headless browser detection tool or service that suits your organization's needs, integrates well with your existing security infrastructure, and provides effective detection capabilities. Some popular headless browser detection tools include Shape Security, Distil Networks, and Akamai Bot Manager.

   
   

2. Set detection thresholds for blocking access: Setting the right balance between security and user experience is crucial for effectively detecting and blocking headless browsers. Define threshold values for various detection attributes (e.g., request headers, JavaScript execution, etc.) that minimize the risk of false positives while adequately protecting your systems.

   
   

3. Monitor false positives and adjust settings: Continuously monitor and analyze the performance of your headless browser detection solution to identify and resolve false positives. Adjust detection threshold values and refine your rules over time to keep up with evolving attack patterns and maintain optimal security and usability.

   
   

By implementing headless browser detection as part of your account takeover prevention strategy, FinTech professionals can deliver a more secure and reliable service to their customers, safeguarding financial data and maintaining high levels of trust and confidence in the digital financial ecosystem.

Strategy 4: Behavior Similarity Search

What is behavior similarity search

Behavior similarity search is a cybersecurity technique that uses advanced algorithms to identify and analyze patterns of user behavior, looking for unusual or potentially fraudulent activities and access attempts. This approach is primarily used to uncover account takeover attempts by identifying activities that deviate from the typical behavior patterns of a user within a financial services platform.

How does it work

Behavior similarity search works by employing machine learning (ML) algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze large volumes of data relating to user activities within a given platform. The goal is to establish a baseline of normal user behavior by understanding the various aspects, such as login times, devices used, session durations, and transaction patterns.

Once the baseline is established, the system constantly compares new user activities against this baseline, and any deviations or anomalies are flagged as potential fraud attempts. This method uses advanced statistical modeling and analysis techniques to identify correlations and similarities in behavior while ignoring noise in the data.

Pros & Cons

Pro: Early identification of potential fraud

Behavior similarity search allows for early identification of potential account takeover and fraud attempts by flagging unusual behavior patterns before they result in any harm to the user or the financial services platform. The use of ML and AI in detecting such anomalies means that the system continually evolves, adapts, and improves its detection capabilities.

Con: May require large amounts of data for accuracy

One of the challenges with behavior similarity search is that it requires large amounts of data to establish an accurate and useful baseline. This can be especially difficult for smaller financial services companies and new platforms that may not yet have sufficient user data to feed the algorithms required. Additionally, the initial training of ML algorithms may require significant resources – including both time and computational power – further complicating the implementation process.

Tactical implementation

To implement behavior similarity search in your financial services platform, follow these steps:

1. Implement analytics tools for behavior analysis: Select an analytics tool or platform that specializes in behavior similarity search, with a focus on financial services security. Ensure that the chosen solution is capable of analyzing and processing large volumes of data, and is compatible with your existing systems.

   
   

2. Establish baseline behavior patterns: Work with your chosen analytics tool to establish a baseline of normal user behavior on your platform. This may involve the analysis of historical data, or the ongoing collection and analysis of user activity data to develop a comprehensive understanding of typical user actions and patterns.

   
   

3. Define alert triggers for potential fraud: Based on your baseline behavior patterns, define specific triggers for alerts that may indicate potential account takeover attempts or fraudulent activities. Customize these triggers based on factors such as risk tolerance, historical fraud rates, and the unique characteristics of your user base.

   
   

4. Integrate with existing security infrastructure: Ensure that your behavior similarity search solution is tightly integrated with your existing security infrastructure, so that alerts and notifications are delivered and actioned upon in a timely manner. Consider automating responses to certain types of suspicious behavior to quickly block access or require additional authentication.

   
   

5. Continuously monitor and refine: Regularly review the performance of your behavior similarity search platform and make adjustments to the baseline behavior patterns and alert triggers as needed. Continually monitor and update the ML algorithms in response to changing user behavior, industry trends, and any emerging threats relating to account takeover or fraud.

   
   

Strategy 5: 3D Liveness & Facial Biometrics

What is 3D Liveness and Facial Biometrics

3D liveness and facial biometrics is an advanced authentication technology that combines the use of live facial scans and biometric analysis for verifying the identity of users. It provides a higher level of security compared to traditional authentication methods, such as passwords or security questions, by using unique features of an individual's face to confirm their identity.

How does it work

The technology involves capturing a live facial scan of the user, either through a smartphone or dedicated hardware like biometric scanners or cameras. This scan is then compared with a pre-registered facial image or biometric template, using advanced algorithms to detect minute differences and determine if the person attempting to access the account is indeed the legitimate user.

These algorithms consider multiple factors, such as the shape, size, and position of facial features, as well as unique identifiers like skin texture patterns, to ensure a highly accurate match. Furthermore, 3D liveness checks also prevent spoofing attempts by requiring the user to perform specific actions, such as smiling or blinking, during the scanning process. This helps in differentiating between a live person and a static image or a video being used to bypass the authentication.

Pros & Cons

• Pro: Higher security level than traditional authentication methods 3D liveness and facial biometrics provide a strong layer of protection against account takeover attempts by verifying the user's identity through unique facial features. This technology is harder to bypass compared to passwords and security questions, which can be guessed or stolen through phishing or social engineering attacks.

  
  

• Con: Implementation and hardware costs The initial setup of 3D liveness and facial biometric authentication can be expensive, considering the cost of hardware, software, licenses, and the integration with the existing security infrastructure. Additionally, ongoing maintenance and updates may also add to the total cost of ownership. However, it is essential to weigh these costs against the financial impact of potential fraud or account theft, which can be far more devastating for financial services organizations.

  
  

Tactical Implementation

1. Choose a 3D liveness and facial biometric technology: Research and compare the available biometric solutions providers for the financial services industry to ensure that you select a product that meets your organization's needs in terms of accuracy, scalability, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

   
   

2. Train users on new authentication procedures: For successful implementation, it is crucial to educate users on the benefits of the new authentication method and train them on how to use the technology effectively and securely. This can be achieved through communication campaigns, educational materials, and in-person or remote training sessions.

   
   

3. Integrate with existing authentication infrastructure: Collaborate with your IT and security teams to establish a seamless integration of the 3D liveness and facial biometric system with your organization's current authentication processes. This may involve development work for connecting the biometric solution with your identity and access management tools, as well as setting up monitoring and alert systems to detect and respond to suspicious activity.

   
   

By combining advanced facial biometrics with 3D liveness checks, financial services organizations can substantially reduce the risks of account takeovers and safeguard their customers' sensitive data, strengthening their overall cyber-security posture.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

In the fast-paced world of Fiserv and FinTech, account takeover attempts are a constant threat. To stay ahead, security professionals need to implement a multi-layered approach that focuses on tailored fraud prevention strategies. The top 5 tactics discussed in this article serve as a starting point for organizations to assess their security needs and find the best fit for their processes.

It is crucial to remember that ongoing monitoring, analysis, and refinement are necessary components of any successful fraud prevention strategy. By staying vigilant and adaptive, you can ensure that your approach remains effective even as attackers evolve their tactics.

Moreover, fostering industry collaboration and sharing information is crucial for staying ahead of hackers and fraudsters. Participating in cybersecurity forums, attending industry-specific conferences, and partnering with other organizations facing similar challenges can lead to valuable insights and help shape future fraud prevention measures.

By taking a proactive approach to account takeover prevention, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of business disruption and financial losses while ensuring the trust and satisfaction of your users. So take the first step today, evaluate where your organization stands in terms of fraud prevention, and explore the tactics discussed in this article to ensure a secure Fiserv and FinTech environment.