ASB First To Bank on RSA® Mobile Two-Factor Authentication For Internet Security
- ASB Bank Selects RSA Mobile Solution To Expand Business Opportunities And Enhance Convenience For Online Banking
Customers -
AUCKLAND, 17 June 2003 – RSA Security, the most trusted name in e-security®, has announced a technology partnership with
banking service and technology leader ASB Bank, to implement RSA® Mobile two-factor authentication software.
The agreement is the first for RSA Security in the Asia Pacific region and allows ASB Bank to develop a range of
security options for its customers around the rapidly growing online banking market. The RSA Mobile solution will
enhance the overall security framework already in place at ASB Bank.
ASB Bank’s Internet banking customers are conducting more than three million transactions per month over the Internet.
Clayton Wakefield, Group General Manager of Technology, ASB Bank, says, “We are seeing outstanding growth in the
Internet banking market in New Zealand with the business banking market exhibiting growth similar to that experienced in
the retail sector in the late 1990’s. We are constantly reviewing our existing security environment so we can best
protect our growing online business, and this deal with RSA Security creates a new platform for us to do this.”
The RSA Mobile solution is designed to make it easier than ever for customers to conduct their banking business in a
secure manner via the web, at a time and location of their choosing. The software enables bank customers to use their
existing mobile phone as a secure authentication device, helping to ensure that individuals are positively identified
before they can access sensitive account information and banking services.
RSA Mobile software generates a unique, one-time access code once a user has commenced logging in to a system and
immediately delivers the access code via SMS messaging to the user's mobile phone. To complete the login, the user
simply enters the access code to verify their identity. Users benefit from a simple login that eliminates the need to
remember multiple passwords.
Because RSA Mobile technology leverages existing mobile infrastructure, ASB Bank will not need to distribute any special
hardware or software to its end users. This greatly simplifies the deployment process and reduces deployment costs.
Additionally, the software is designed to scale to millions of users, without requiring a corresponding increase in the
number of administrators. This scalability, combined with streamlined administration, enables the bank to
cost-effectively maintain security as the number of remote users grows.
Commenting on the deal, Wakefield said, “ASB Bank prides itself on technology leadership, and the RSA Mobile solution is
a unique, simple and easy to use solution that has been specifically designed for validating customers identities in
mobile environments. RSA Security’s technology leadership, combined with a can-do attitude, confirmed it was the right
business partner for ASB.”
ASB Bank will utilise RSA Mobile software to develop and expand the range of security options available to customers, in
order to provide them with a choice of secure authentication options. “Two-factor authentication such as RSA Mobile
software is widely recognised as a stronger form of security than static passwords. We believe that a growing number of
customers will embrace mobile authentication solutions because of the extra level of convenience it offers in terms of
not needing to carry an authentication token. This choice and convenience are two more ways that we can differentiate
our offerings from our competitors,” concluded Wakefield.
Richard Turner, vice president Asia Pacific, RSA Security, said, “RSA Mobile software helps organisations achieve the
goal of providing highly secure, two-factor authentication to a geographically dispersed user base in a cost-effective
manner. By leveraging the widespread use of mobile phones in New Zealand, RSA Mobile technology helps make secure access
affordable for a much wider range of enterprise and consumer applications than was possible in the past."
ASB Bank expects to announce details of new online banking security solutions for customers based on RSA Mobile software
in the coming months.