NEC software uses facial recognition to verify mobile service users

Complies with FIDO and enhances the security of identity confirmation

Tokyo, April 20, 2017 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the launch of NC7000-3A, a user data utilization platform software that uses facial recognition for identity confirmation with mobile services for organizations such as financial institutions and telecommunication operators.

Ensuring the security of mobile platforms is a top priority for businesses seeking to offer mobile services. NC7000-3A is ideal for business partners that require ID management and authentication functions in order to ensure the safety and security of their mobile web services.

This software includes a powerful mobile services-oriented authentication engine that leverages "NeoFace," a facial recognition artificial intelligence (AI) engine boasting the world's highest (1) authentication accuracy and belonging to NEC's cutting-edge portfolio of AI technologies, NEC the WISE (2). This enables the confirmation of a user's identity through facial recognition, resulting in greater security by protecting against identity theft caused by password leakage. Moreover, the support of fingerprint recognition helps to further reduce entry processes, helping to enhance usability, which is expected to be further improved with additional biometric recognitions in the future.

This new software complies with "Fast Identity Online" (FIDO) industry standards for authentication without transmitting data, such as biometric information, externally from a device. This reduces the risk of leakage of data used for identity confirmation. Security enhancements also include the in-house development of dedicated software and a facial recognition engine that are integrated into terminals and servers.

Moreover, this software flexibly accommodates the expansion of online systems as they acquire more users, making it ideal for both small-scale services and public systems used by tens of millions of users.

"IDs and passwords account for the majority of methods for confirming a user's identity with online services," said, Shigeru Okuya, Senior Vice President, NEC Corporation. "This software enables users to verify their ID through facial recognition, without sending biometric information externally, thereby improving security and usability at the same time."

NEC is a sponsor member of the "FIDO Alliance," an international non-profit organization for promoting FIDO.