Vietnam Ministry of Public Security warns of biometric banking vulnerabilities

At the Smart Banking 2026 workshop in Hanoi, Lieutenant Colonel Trieu Manh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention (A05) under the Ministry of Public Security, warned that facial recognition biometric security in many banks can be bypassed.

Criminals are reportedly using static images or short videos to circumvent authentication processes. In some instances, attackers use software to seize control of mobile devices, intercepting the camera feed to replace live footage with pre-existing portrait photos of account holders. This method has facilitated thefts totaling hundreds of billions of VND.

Beyond individual user targeting, authorities noted a shift toward direct attacks on banking systems and financial institutions. Emerging threats include the use of AI for deepfake impersonations of high-level executives and fraudulent messaging. The A05 leadership has called for increased coordination between the State Bank of Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security to implement better tracking and blocking mechanisms for fraudulent fund transfers.