DHS Awards Contracts for Privacy-Focused Digital ID Tech

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has awarded contracts to six startups—Credence ID, Hushmesh, Netis d.o.o., Procivis, SpruceID, and Ubiqu—to develop privacy-enhancing digital wallet technologies, with the aim of protecting the privacy of individuals using digital versions of credentials for immigration and travel.

The initiative is meant to enable digital credential users, including immigrants and travelers, to store their information in privacy-enhanced digital wallets, and is expected to improve the security and confidentiality of digital interactions, thereby enhancing the privacy, security, and safety of residents across the United States.

The awards, part of DHS’s Privacy Preserving Digital Credential Wallets & Verifiers solicitation, aim to integrate open global standards established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) into DHS digital credential wallets and verifiers.

Each company is eligible for up to $1.7 million across four SVIP phases, as part of an initiative that builds on previous successful projects aimed at preventing forgery and counterfeiting of paper-based credentials. The development of these privacy-enhancing digital wallet technologies reflects DHS’s commitment to improving service delivery, protecting privacy, and increasing ease of use.

Last month, Credence ID announced a collaboration with ZKTeco USA to enhance IT infrastructure for mobile IDs by integrating Credence’s mobile driver’s license (mDL) technology into ZKTeco’s visitor management and access control systems.

The partnership aims to facilitate the growing acceptance of mobile ID technology across corporate offices, higher education campuses, government buildings, and more. The integration will allow users to scan their smartphone-based mDLs for facility access, eliminating the need for physical ID cards and enhancing user privacy by only sharing necessary information.

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July 12, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis