Welcome to ID Tech’s digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:
Former Twilio CTO Joins Veriff Board Amid 75 Revenue Jump
Veriff has appointed former Twilio and Checkout.com CTO Ott Kaukver to its Board of Directors as the company accelerates global growth. Kaukver brings deep experience in scaling technology platforms and engineering leadership, aligning with Veriff’s Q4 2024 performance that saw 75 percent revenue growth and a 60 percent increase in its customer base. Already an early investor, Kaukver joins amid rising demand for Veriff’s AI-powered identity verification tools, including biometric authentication and deepfake fraud detection. His appointment underscores Veriff’s strategy to strengthen its platform and expand its presence across finance, e-commerce, and gig economy sectors.
AU10TIX Names Payoneer Veteran Yair Tal as New CEO Amid Rising AI Fraud
AU10TIX has named Yair Tal as its new CEO, bringing over 20 years of fintech and payments experience to the role. Tal previously held leadership positions at Payoneer and BLEND, and now steps in to lead AU10TIX’s global expansion and AI innovation efforts. His appointment follows a year in which the company prevented $7.5 billion in fraud—75 percent of which involved AI-generated attacks. Tal will focus on strengthening AU10TIX’s machine learning capabilities and international footprint, including recent moves like its new Bengaluru hub and a partnership targeting cargo theft prevention.
AWS and Vivalink Launch Cloud-Based Remote Patient Monitoring Platform
Vivalink has partnered with AWS to launch the Vivalink Biometrics Data Platform (VBDP), a scalable solution for continuous remote patient monitoring. The platform integrates with over 60 medical devices and uses Vivalink’s biometric sensors and edge computing to capture vitals such as ECG, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. Data is processed locally, encrypted, and transmitted to AWS, where services like Amazon Kinesis convert it into real-time insights. Designed for clinical settings including decentralized trials and chronic care, the system supports HIPAA, GDPR, and international regulatory standards, with global deployment in over 51 countries.
Long Beach Data Breach Exposed SSNs and Biometric Data, City Waited 17 Months
The City of Long Beach has disclosed a major data breach that occurred in November 2023, revealing sensitive personal data—including biometric identifiers, Social Security numbers, and medical and financial information—after a 17-month delay. Officials cited the length of the forensic investigation as the reason for the delayed notification. While no fraud has been detected, cybersecurity experts criticized the lag, noting it limited residents’ ability to take early protective action. The city has since launched support resources and allocated $1 million to bolster cybersecurity. The breach, which did not involve ransomware, highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in municipal digital infrastructure.
NEC Launches Cloud-Based Biometric ID Service on Microsoft Azure
NEC Corporation of America has launched its Identity Cloud Service (ICS), a cloud-based identity verification platform hosted on Microsoft Azure. ICS provides fast onboarding, dynamic scalability, and top-ranked biometric capabilities, including one-to-one and one-to-many facial recognition with liveness detection. Designed for sectors like finance, hospitality, and secure access control, ICS supports digital onboarding and fraud prevention while using a per-transaction pricing model. The service aligns with GDPR and HIPAA standards and reflects NEC’s AI and Human Rights Principles. ICS also complements NEC’s broader efforts to support open standards in digital identity, including partnerships in the travel industry.
Queensland Launches Digital ID System for All State Government Services
Queensland has launched the Queensland Digital Identity (QDI) system, replacing QGov as the centralized login for government services. QDI requires multi-factor authentication, supports biometric login via Passkeys, and enforces strict identity verification using government-issued documents. Duplicate accounts are blocked, and only minimal data is retained, with no storage of verification credentials. The system supports international IDs, complies with national privacy laws, and is designed to interoperate with other state and federal digital ID frameworks, marking a major modernization of Queensland’s identity infrastructure.
Google Expands Biometric Identity Check to All Android Devices in 2025
Google is expanding its biometric-only Identity Check feature to more Android devices with the upcoming Android 16 release, moving beyond Pixel and Samsung phones. The feature restricts high-risk actions—such as accessing saved passwords, disabling Find My Device, or initiating a factory reset—to fingerprint or facial recognition only, removing PIN or password fallbacks. It activates enhanced Google Account protections, enforces a post-reset login requirement, and introduces lockdowns after repeated failed biometric attempts. The system relies on trusted locations to trigger stricter enforcement and requires class 3 biometric hardware. Identity Check will roll out gradually following Android 16’s release in June.
Open Banking Powers New Sumsub-Volt Digital ID Verification System
Sumsub has partnered with real-time payments provider Volt to launch a Penny Drop Verification system that uses open banking to streamline KYC across Europe. The process combines Volt’s Payment Initiation and Account Information Services with Sumsub’s ID verification, enabling users to complete a 1-cent bank transaction—immediately refunded—to confirm identity data via Volt’s Matchmeter. Supporting Qualified Electronic Signatures, the solution aligns with EU compliance standards and aims to reduce fraud while simplifying onboarding. The launch builds on Sumsub’s broader expansion efforts, including recent partnerships in payroll and its membership in the EU Payments Association.
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April 15, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala
