Cyota Inc., the leading provider of anti-fraud and online security solutions for financial institutions, announced today the release of eStamp, its second generation, patent-pending, cookie-less watermark technology.
eStamp provides reverse authentication, a simple and consistent way for banks to validate themselves to customers for online transactions and e-mail communications. An earlier generation of this technology has been in use by more than 15 of the world's largest banks and thousands of smaller banks worldwide over the past four years via Cyota's SecureSuite e-commerce authentication solution supporting Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode.
Cyota's eStamp solution provides a simple and consistent method for instilling consumer confidence by verifying the bank's Web site to the accountholder via a personalized graphical watermark before they divulge sensitive login information. When the bank displays the correct user-selected image, the user knows it is safe to begin transacting with the bank. eStamp can also be embedded into e-mail communications from banks to accountholders to further preserve the credibility and integrity of the online channel. Cyota offers eStamp at the cost of 10 cents per user per year.
eStamp works from any device or location, and doesn't rely on cookies to deliver the service - unlike other watermarking solutions. A JupiterResearch study from March 2005 found that as many as 39 percent of online users delete cookies from their primary computer monthly. This trend can seriously impact both the usability and consistency of existing methods that depend on cookies to authenticate the user.
"We began using textual watermark technologies four years ago as part of our MasterCard SecureCode and Verified by Visa compliant services to banks," said Amir Orad, executive vice president at Cyota. "Due to the impact that the latest online threats have had on consumer confidence, we have enhanced our existing technology to provide a solid reverse mutual authentication solution for the online banking channel as well."
Orad continues, "eStamp's strength is in its consistency, as it provides the same user experience from any device at any location, and is a better alternative to cookie-based methods. When combined with one of our other security solutions, banks are better able to provide customers with both a "sense" of security by showing them their personal eStamp, and achieve behind the scenes "real" security against fraudsters at the same time."
eStamp can be deployed as a stand alone solution, or in conjunction with other Cyota's services, such as its patent pending, Risk-Based Authentication technology, which utilizes Cyota's proprietary eRisk Engine and a shared database of fraud patterns from its eFraud Network to detect risky transactions. The result is the only complete solution that provides consumers with a consistent perceived sense of security from any device or computer they use, and provides banks with proven, actual security occurring behind the scenes.