[Security] - The AI Era in Banking and Fintech: Why Non-Human Identity Security is a Mission-Critical Solution

The explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and multi-cloud platforms is fundamentally reimagining the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) and Fintech sectors in Vietnam. However, behind this lightning-fast digital transformation lies a new cyber-security "blind spot" in the form of the exponential growth of Non-Human Identities (NHI), which include API keys, tokens, application credentials, and autonomous AI models.

Recognized by prestigious global research firms like Gartner and KuppingerCole, solutions from Finnish SSH Communications Security (SSH) emerge as a comprehensive answer to help financial institutions optimize AI performance while maintaining absolute protection over digital assets.

1. The AI Wave in BFSI and the New Achilles' Heel

In today’s digital banks and Fintech firms, AI chatbots, automated credit scoring systems, and fraud detection algorithms require persistent access to Core Banking databases. To facilitate this, millions of encrypted strings, connection keys (API/SSH Keys), and application credentials (Secrets) are generated automatically through Machine-to-Machine (M2M) interactions.

According to KuppingerCole’s Enterprise Secrets Management (ESM) Leadership Compass report, the number of NHIs now vastly outnumbers human personnel within financial organizations.

The critical vulnerability stems from the fact that developers often inadvertently "hardcode" these credentials directly into software source code on the Cloud. If a hacker gains control of an AI system’s API key, they gain privileged access to infiltrate deep into the infrastructure to steal customer data or manipulate cash flows, bypassing all human authentication mechanisms entirely.

2. Next-Gen Security from SSH: A Sophisticated Shield for the Digital Future

To solve this complex security puzzle, SSH, a European company securing privileged access to critical systems, introduces the breakthrough PrivX Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution. This solution redefines security standards for the BFSI sector through three pillars:

• Automated Privileged Management for AI and Cloud (CIEM and ESM): Recognized as a "Leader" in the KuppingerCole Leadership Compass, PrivX enables automated discovery, centralized management, and rotation of AI and DevOps secrets/keys to effectively neutralize the risk of source code leaks.
• Passwordless and Just-in-Time (JIT) Mechanism: Instead of using theft-prone static credentials, SSH technology enforces the Principle of Least Privilege through ephemeral, certificate-based access. Access rights are automatically revoked upon session termination, which is a key differentiator on the market.
• Lean Agentless Architecture: Unlike traditional PAM solutions that require heavy software agents installed on every server and potentially risking system conflicts, SSH PrivX is entirely agentless. Financial enterprises can achieve rapid deployment within hours and optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) as validated by Info-Tech Research Group.

3. Navigating Strict Regulatory Compliance in Vietnam

Beyond defending against advanced cyber-attacks, SSH’s solutions serve as a powerful tool for banks and financial institutions to comply with local regulations.

SSH’s advanced Session Recording feature meticulously logs every configuration change by humans and every automated command executed by AI-driven workloads. During cybersecurity audits by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) or when fulfilling Decree No. 13/2023/ND-CP on Personal Data Protection, CISOs can generate transparent reports on "which AI/app did what and when" with just a few clicks.

“As the number of NHIs AI agents increase, so does the need to manage and secure their access to critical resources, especially in heavily regulated sectors like BFSI. Together with a world-class technology and telecommunications solutions company like COMIT, we can mitigate risk associated with the proliferation of NHI secrets and access without disrupting existing operations”, states Rami Raulas, CEO of SSH.

4. A Firm Commitment from SSH’s Strategic Partner in Vietnam

As the official partner of SSH.com in the Vietnamese market, we understand that the BFSI and Fintech sectors demand more than just a great product - they need a long-term commitment to execution capability and technical excellence.

We are committed to providing Vietnamese financial institutions with:

• Internationally Certified Local Experts: Ready to consult and design bespoke security architectures tailored to complex Core Banking infrastructures, including Hybrid-cloud and Multi-cloud environments.
• 24/7/365 Support: Ensuring maximum system availability and immediate incident response while adhering to the banking industry’s stringent Service Level Agreements (SLA).
• Comprehensive Technology Transfer: Empowering your IT/DevSecOps teams to master secrets management and cloud entitlements in the shortest possible time.

In an era where cyber-attacks targeting the financial sector are increasingly sophisticated and AI-driven, owning a robust identity security shield like SSH is no longer an option but rather a survival strategy to protect brand reputation and customer assets. We are proud to be the trusted bridge bringing world-class technology to accompany the sustainable growth of Vietnam's digital finance.

About SSH

SSH is a leading defensive cybersecurity company that secures communications between humans, systems, and networks. We specialize in Zero Trust Privileged Access Controls and Quantum Safe Network Security. Our customers include a diverse range of enterprises, from multiple Fortune 500 companies to SMBs across various sectors such as Finance, Retail, Technology, Industrial, Healthcare, and Government. 25% of Fortune 100 companies rely on SSH’s solutions. Recent strategic focus has expanded SSH business to Defence, Critical Infrastructure Operators, Manufacturing OT Security and Public Safety.

Leonardo S.p.A invested 20.0 million EUR in SSH, becoming the largest shareholder of the company. SSH solutions form a Center of Excellence for Zero Trust privileged access management and quantum-safe network encryption in Leonardo - a global industrial group that creates multi-domain technological capabilities in the Aerospace, Defence and Security sector with 17.8 billion EUR revenue in 2024. SSH company’s shares (SSH1V) are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.