Self-service terminal (sst) facial authentication processing

A method, comprising:

• training a background image authenticator on a physical environment from a plurality of images captured by at least one camera situated within or in proximity to a Self-Service Terminal (SST);
• dynamically updating the background image authenticator for additional images captured by the at least one camera for the physical environment during non-interaction periods of the SST;
• processing the background image authenticator during an interaction period of the SST during which the at least one camera captures a facial image of a face of a user, wherein the facial image includes background pixels representing the physical environment;
• and
• authenticating the user for access to the SST when facial pixels in the facial image match registered pixels for a registered image of the face and when the background image authenticator verifies the background pixels match expected background pixels for the physical environment.

A system (SST), comprising:

• a Self-Service Terminal (SST);
• at least one camera interfaced to the SST;
• and
• a server having a facial and environmental authenticator;
• wherein the facial and environmental authenticator is configured to:
• (i) execute on at least one hardware processor of the server;
• (ii) dynamically maintain at least one background profile for background images captured by the at least one camera of a physical environment of the SST, and (iii) provide authentication of background pixels captured by the at least one camera in a facial image of a user based on the at least one background profile to augment facial recognition processing on facial pixels present in the facial image.