KYC is the process organizations use to verify a customer’s identity under applicable regulations and internal policies. It can involve collecting identity details, checking documents, and confirming that the person presenting them is linked to the claimed identity. The specific checks vary by organization and risk level.
In cyber security, KYC helps reduce identity fraud and supports controls for financial services, marketplaces, and other account-based systems. Attackers may try to bypass remote checks with forged documents, synthetic media, or other forms of manipulation. Defenders therefore use layered verification—such as document validation, checks for manipulated or injected media, session-risk signals, and manual review when needed—rather than treating a single scan or liveness test as conclusive proof.