Table of Contents
What is a virtual keyboard for banking apps? (key takeaways)
- In-app keyboards offer banking companies a series of benefits regarding cybersecurity and user experience.
- Cybersecurity measures can be enhanced by using in-app keyboards, which prevent keylogging, phishing attacks and data breaches.
- Companies can seamlessly keep up with compliance regulations thanks to the adaptability that in-app keyboards provide.
- For more context, learn more about what is a virtual keyboard
Benefits of using virtual keyboards for Internet banking
Many app developers don’t consider adding their own in-app keyboard, thus missing out on all the benefits it can offer, especially in the fintech area. These benefits are mostly related to cybersecurity and compliance, but can also bring advantages in terms of your brand’s identity. Let’s have a look.
Protection against keyloggers
Developing an app with its own built-in keyboard is one of the possible solutions to keylogging. Fleksy’s SDK includes all security measures necessary to protect the information typed into your in-app keyboard to avoid any keylogging malware from collecting it.
Enhanced security through randomness
Encryption is one of the main features of Fleksy’s SDK that allows users to enter information that is later processed or saved into the app. Since most banking apps have at least one security vulnerability that could allow data breaches, using an in-app keyboard SDK specifically dedicated to cybersecurity is the key to fortifying your banking app.
Mitigated risk of phishing attacks
Phishing malware is one of the most widespread forms of cyber threats, with keyloggers pretending to be part of companies to request sensitive data from users, who provide it without suspecting their information is being maliciously collected. By using in-app keyboards with a focus on cybersecurity, both users and developers can be sure no external phishing keyboards are shown when using banking apps.
Improve P2P payments across any app
Not only can third-party keyboards be added to finance apps, but also the other way around. The Fleksy SDK, which includes the ability to customize views, can potentially be used to embed in-keyboard peer-to-peer transactions across text, messaging or email apps. For instance, a user can perform a P2P transaction while texting on a messaging app by simply clicking on a banking app’s icon on the keyboard, without the need to access their wallet’s app.
Customization
Beyond cybersecurity matters, having an in-app keyboard embedded in banking accounts can help create the most suitable tool for your users’ needs. Developers can customize the keyboard to make it more user-friendly for smaller devices, restrict the type of characters available (excluding emojis, for instance), and even change the keyboard’s appearance to match the company’s corporate image.
Accessibility and ease of use
Together with customization comes accessibility. Including your own adapted keyboard allows developers to personalize its functionality, design and layout to make it easier for all users, especially for people with disabilities. For instance, developers can modify key sizes to make them bigger and easier to tap. Additionally, Fleksy’s SDK includes strong text prediction and autocorrection algorithms to make your keyboard one of the fastest in the industry.
Regulatory compliance in the industry
Cybersecurity is not only important to ensure that no information of your users is leaked, but also to comply with norms and regulations that need to be followed.
In particular, financial applications must comply with strict regulations required by different governmental and international entities, to ensure all standard cybersecurity measures are followed. The most common implementations required by these entities include data encryption, multi-layered authentication, and periodic audits.
In this regulatory landscape, in-app virtual keyboards emerge as an aid to achieve full compliance. These keyboards offer an added layer of protection against data breaches, mitigating risks from keyloggers and other malicious attacks. By encrypting user inputs at the source and removing potentially vulnerable default keyboards from the equation, they reinforce data privacy mandates. Because these keyboards are specially developed to fulfill a role in the financial sector, developers can modify and update them periodically according to new regulations, ensuring that companies always meet regulatory requirements beyond a general-use default keyboard. Fleksy’s in-app keyboards have all you need to guarantee that all the information typed into your app remains safe, complying with all necessary regulations.
Implementing in-app keyboards
Once you have decided that your app needs its own personalized keyboard, the time comes for implementation. Here’s how the process works and what you need to keep in mind throughout the process.
White-label solution adapted to your needs
Because the in-app keyboard is completely customizable to your needs, developers first need to determine which they are. Consider what difficulties arise when using default keyboards in this type of app, what issues you want to avoid, and how user experience can be improved. If you already have an app that uses a default keyboard, track and analyze how customers use it and identify areas of improvement.
Steps to a seamless implementation process
Once you have a clear understanding of what you want your in-app keyboard to be like, you can get in touch with a Fleksy expert. Together, we can create the perfect solution to suit your users’ needs and develop the exact tool your app requires to be perfect. If you want to build without talking with us, simply get started by adding our in-app keyboard inside your app.
Integration considerations
Before you finally develop your app, run some market research to find out user trends: which devices are most used? Do customers usually access the app on Android or Apple devices? What bugs have emerged while the app is in use? Keep these details into consideration to avoid developing an in-app keyboard that is not suitable for your current app and user trends.
After the development, test your prototypical app together with its new keyboard to identify any potential issues and iterate the developing processes to remove them from the experience.
Case study: Integrating Fleksy’s keyboard SDK technology
Thanks to its customization potential, Fleksy’s in-app keyboards can be specially adapted to several industries. In the case of banking apps, developers can choose to disable functionalities and limit what users can type into text fields. For instance, removing symbols and emojis from the keyboard, as these are not admitted for bank transfer descriptions; blocking access to the app from other keyboards installed on the device to avoid malware and keylogging; and removing word prediction, autocorrection, and swipe texting to ensure users do not incur over-correction leading to typing errors.
Conclusion
While it is true that in-app keyboards are not an essential requirement in banking apps, including Fleksy’s virtual keyboard can help companies not only to ensure their users’ information is safe and to comply with cybersecurity standards but also create a totally customizable design to enhance user experience to the maximum and boost customer loyalty.
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FAQs
Is an on-screen keyboard more secure?
As for computers, on-screen keyboards may be more secure as keyloggers usually focus their input tracking on physical keyboards and not on virtual ones, reducing the possibility of having your typed information breached. As for mobile devices, adding an in-app security-centered keyboard adds an extra layer of protection against different breaching threats, such as keylogging, phishing and other forms of malware.
Does a virtual keyboard protect against keyloggers?
In most cases, this is the case, since keyloggers usually focus their attention on physical keyboards and not virtual ones. Besides, developers can also take extra measures to make typing even more secure, such as not visually highlighting pressed keys to prevent screen recordings from collecting information, for instance.
Why virtual keyboards are commonly provided by Internet banking websites?
Banking apps and websites commonly use their own virtual keyboards instead of built-in ones to add an extra layer of cybersecurity protection, as they help reduce the probability of data leaks while offering a personalized user experience to meet customers’ needs.
Is Internet banking safer on a phone or computer?
Mobile apps are considered safer than computer websites when it comes to remote banking services. This happens because it is easier to unintentionally download malware onto computers, as mobile applications are strictly scanned by app stores, Besides, app developers can add extra layers of protection by implementing tools such as in-app virtual keyboards.
