ING DIRECT Launches New Authentication Approach

"Our Customers have become accustomed to a simple, easy and secure online experience," said Rudy Wolfs, CIO, ING DIRECT. "As new online threats emerge, our new login process is yet another way to boost their confidence online and provide a sense of security, without placing any burden on the user experience. RSA Security's powerful authentication solution provides us with a full set of tools designed to help protect our Customers, and to monitor and reduce fraud."

ING DIRECT has taken a proactive approach to security, implementing features such as PIN Guard(TM) to further encrypt users' PIN numbers, and the RSA FraudActionSM service, a 24X7 anti-phishing service which was launched in mid-2005. With this new layer of security, ING DIRECT Customers get added peace-of-mind that they are on the authentic ING DIRECT website, as well as behind-the-scenes security via real-time authentication, based on their device and additional parameters, as they bank online.

How it works

The enrollment process, which is only required once, is easy and takes only a minute or two. To enroll, ING DIRECT Customers select an image from a library of images and create a personal phrase, which they will recognize when logging into their accounts. Then they answer at least five security questions. After enrollment, when a Customer logs in, they will answer two of the security questions, and then view their image and phrase so they'll know immediately that it's safe to enter their Login PIN. To make the login experience even easier, users can "register" their computer. As a result, the next time they login from that computer, they will be automatically recognized, enabling them to skip the security questions and shorten the procedure.

In parallel, behind the scenes, using the Customers' own computers as a second factor of authentication, the system provides a positive identification based on device and network forensics, behavioral analysis and other parameters. Then it quickly and transparently scores transactions according to the perceived level of risk and automatically adds additional security measures such as secret questions or an automated phone call if needed, all with minimal impact to the online banking Customer.

With the addition of the RSA® Adaptive Authentication solution, ING DIRECT will further leverage its existing membership in the RSA eFraudNetwork(TM) community, the world's largest and most effective network for fighting online financial fraud. With membership comprising thousands of financial institutions worldwide, the eFraudNetwork collates some of the best, most up-to-date intelligence from across the globe in real-time, giving financial institutions instantaneous information and immediate protection.

"A key consideration for financial institutions today is how to secure their customers without incurring a negative impact on the convenience of the online channel. ING DIRECT is a great example of how this can be achieved," said Chris Young, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Solutions Division, RSA Security. "Our state-of-the-art products are designed with both security and usability in mind, and they are geared to provide financial institutions with the utmost flexibility to meet their specific needs. They have also been field-tested by dozens of large financial institutions and tens of millions of online users."