Increasingly, banks are extending strong authentication to their customers to prevent successful takeovers of accounts by hackers, whose strategy is often to use malware to take control of the computer of someone authorized to make payments or other high-dollar transfers related to corporate accounts.

These authentication methods can take many forms. United Bank & Trust, located in Ann Arbor, Mich., for instance, increased security for customers through a method that automatically phones the customer making an online funds transfer to verify the details about the transaction before it's actually executed.

Called PhoneFactor, this authentication method is now used for what the bank regards as high-risk transactions, says Marsha Whitehouse, vice president of treasury management at United Bank & Trust. This would ordinarily be associated with an individual authorized to make ACH or fund transfers via a corporate account. Through an automated process, PhoneFactor immediately places a phone call to verify details about the transaction request. Whitehouse says, "It improves security."

Ellen Messmer is senior editor at Network World, an IDG publication and website, where she covers news and technology trends related to information security.

in Network World's Wide Area Network section.