Shauli Zacks
Published on: April 24, 2024
In a recent interview with SafetyDetectives, Gur Geva, co-founder and CEO of iiDENTIFii, shares insights into his role and the innovative strides iiDENTIFii is making in biometric digital authentication. Geva, a fervent advocate for leveraging AI and intelligent technologies, emphasizes iiDENTIFii’s commitment to enhancing the security of digital identity in financial services. The discussion delves into the unique aspects of iiDENTIFii’s technology, particularly its groundbreaking 4D Liveness® technology, and its crucial role in safeguarding against sophisticated digital threats like deepfakes.
Could you introduce yourself and talk about your role at iiDENTIFii?
I am Gur Geva, co-founder and CEO of iiDENTIFii. My role at iiDENTFii is a result of an ongoing interest in driving innovation in financial services. Over and above that, I consider myself a technologist who is focused on using developments in AI and other intelligent technologies for the greater good of society. Providing effective, secure digital identity is a central component of the financial services sector’s future. As iiDENTIFii’s CEO, I focus on defining the strategic vision for the business and making it a reality with the help of my incredible team and leading technology partners.
iiDENTIFii is recognised for its innovative approach to biometric digital authentication. What do you believe sets your technology and services apart from other solutions in the market?
Simply put, we provide the safest biometric identity with the least customer friction. We achieve this through our use of 4D Liveness® which allows us to determine whether a person is real, live and transacting in the moment, in a matter of seconds. Our algorithm has been trained on over 50 million African ethnicities, and that has created a highly relevant, inclusive solution for our country and continent. Ours is the only enterprise-grade solution, meaning the technology can be implemented quickly and effectively at scale.
Could you explain the importance of 4D Liveness™ technology and how it enhances security against deepfake and digital replay attacks?
Liveness detection uses biometric technology to determine whether the individual presenting is a real human being and not a presented artefact. Therefore, this technology can detect a deepfake if it were to be played on a device and presented to the camera. While many liveness detection technologies can determine if someone is conducting fraud by holding up a physical image (for example, a printed picture or mask of the person transacting) to the screen, many solutions cannot detect digital injection attacks. This is why specialised technology is required to combat deepfakes. Our sophisticated, yet accessible, 4D liveness® technology comprises different colour lights that map the face from multiple angles, as well as a timestamp, and is further verified through a three-step process where the user’s selfie and ID document data are checked with relevant government databases.
In the context of rising digital fraud, how does iiDENTIFii ensure the reliability and security of its biometric verification processes?
We have invested in and developed the most effective and relevant technology for Africa, and comprehensively tested this in the market. Our system has been audited and proven to show exceptional resilience against digital replay attacks and deepfakes, providing robust security measures to protect against evolving threats. Our solution stands out for its exclusive use of NIST-accredited face match algorithms, ensuring the highest standards of accuracy and reliability. We use multiple face match engines to minimise fraud and maximise conversion of logins.
For organisations looking to implement biometric authentication, what are the key factors they should consider to ensure both security and user friendliness?
We believe that security shouldn’t come at the cost of user friendliness. When choosing an IDV provider, you need to prioritise security, and understand whether the vendor employs biometric threat models, develops algorithms against evolving threats, and undergoes independent testing. Over and above this, the user experience should be intuitive and accessible for a wide range of users, including digital newcomers and a diverse range of populations and needs.
Why is it important for companies to integrate biometric authentication into their security frameworks?
With cybercrime rising exponentially across the globe, businesses need to be certain that the user on the other end of the screen is who they say they are. Historic forms of identity verification such as OTP and fingerprints are open to fraud and not inclusive from an access point of view. Remote authentication through biometrics provides a deeper, less fallible form of security. Face biometrics with liveness detection, in particular, is becoming more popular as a secure, user-friendly means to verify and authenticate users.
