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:
LexisNexis Risk Solutions to Acquire AI Identity Verification Firm IDVerse
LexisNexis Risk Solutions has announced plans to acquire IDVerse, an AI-powered identity verification and document authentication company. IDVerse, launched commercially in 2018, provides solutions for verifying over 16,000 identity document types globally and uses AI-powered biometric algorithms for liveness detection and fraud prevention. The acquisition will integrate IDVerse into LexisNexis Risk Solutions Business Services division, pending regulatory approval in early 2025. The move builds on the companies’ existing partnership and aligns with LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ strategy to enhance fraud prevention capabilities, following acquisitions like ThreatMetrix back in 2018.
SecureAuth Acquires SessionGuardian with Eye to Remote Work Security
SecureAuth has acquired SessionGuardian to integrate Biometric Continuous Identity Assurance (BCIA) into its identity and access management (IAM/CIAM) solutions. The technology continuously verifies user identities during active sessions, locking access upon detecting suspicious activity, addressing vulnerabilities in remote and hybrid work environments. This marks SecureAuth’s second biometrics acquisition, following its 2021 purchase of Acceptto. Targeting high-security sectors like legal services, financial services, and healthcare, the acquisition strengthens SecureAuth’s position in the continuous authentication market.
Neurotechnology Achieves Top Rankings in NIST Latent Fingerprint Recognition Test
Neurotechnology, a biometric technology company based in Lithuania, has achieved top rankings in the NIST Evaluation of Latent Friction Ridge Technology (ELFT). The company’s latent fingerprint algorithm excelled in accuracy across multiple datasets, including those from the U.S. Department of Defense, FBI, and Michigan State Police, and ranked highly in extraction speed. The evaluation tested over 1.6 million unique identifications, focusing on latent print recognition and ranking algorithms’ ability to identify prints among the top 100 candidates. Neurotechnology’s performance reinforces its role in advancing automated fingerprint identification for law enforcement and forensic applications, building on its global portfolio of biometric solutions.
FBI Warns of Chinese Text Message Interception, Urges Encrypted Apps After ‘Salt Typhoon’ Attack
The FBI has issued an advisory warning American citizens about potential text message interception following the “Salt Typhoon” cyberattack, which compromised telecommunications providers including AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies. Hackers, reportedly linked to China, exploited network infrastructure to target individuals and organizations for intelligence gathering, affecting iPhone and Android devices. The FBI and CISA recommend using encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal to protect communications, as these provide end-to-end encryption. Authorities also advise adopting regularly updated devices, enabling phishing-resistant two-factor authentication, and implementing encryption protocols.
Karolinska Institutet Seeks Biometric Rings for Sleep Study
Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet (KI) has launched a procurement process for advanced biometric sensor rings valued at 2 million SEK (excluding VAT) to support research on human health metrics. The wearable devices must monitor parameters including sleep, physical activity, heart rate, and body temperature, enabling continuous data collection without disrupting daily activities. The international tender, open until January 13, 2025, seeks suppliers meeting stringent technical specifications for accuracy and usability. The contract spans January 2025 to January 2028, with a possible 12-month extension. This initiative reflects the growing role of wearable technology in medical research, providing comprehensive datasets for studying correlations between health indicators in real-world environments.
Zetrix Teams with China’s Blockchain Platform on Cross-Border Digital ID Verification
Zetrix, a layer-1 public blockchain platform, has partnered with Astron-Xinghuo BIF, China’s national public permissioned blockchain, to introduce ZID, a service for converting Chinese identification documents into Web 3 Verifiable Credentials (VCs). The service enables Chinese nationals and businesses to digitize IDs and registration credentials for real-time, cross-border verification. Building on Zetrix’s earlier ZCert system, the platform now supports digitized driving licenses and uses blockchain’s tamper-resistance to ensure secure credential verification. The collaboration, developed under China’s Ministry of Industry and IT, aims to strengthen cross-border trust in digital verification, advancing global digital identity solutions and facilitating broader adoption of Web 3 technologies.
Illinois Judge Denies Class Certification in Hotel Workers’ Biometric Privacy Lawsuit Against Unifocus
An Illinois federal judge has denied class certification in a lawsuit brought by hotel workers against software provider Unifocus for alleged violations of the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The judge cited inadequate representation of the proposed class, labeling the lead plaintiff a “figurehead plaintiff.” Without class certification, affected workers must pursue individual claims, significantly altering the case’s scope and potential impact. This decision follows 2024 amendments to BIPA, which limited damages by treating multiple scans of the same individual as a single violation and recognized electronic signatures for written consent. These amendments have reshaped Illinois’ biometric litigation landscape, reducing the viability of class actions and prompting changes in federal jurisdiction thresholds for BIPA cases.
Singapore to Extend QR Code and Biometric Immigration Clearance at Land and Sea Checkpoints
Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is introducing QR code clearance at automated and special assistance lanes in the bus halls of Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints, starting December 16 at Tuas and expanding fully by mid-January 2025. The system enables wheelchair users and family groups to use a single group QR code via the MyICA app, enhancing processing efficiency. This builds on biometric systems successfully deployed at Changi Airport and follows a trial involving over 48,000 travelers. Additionally, from December 16, residents at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre can use facial and iris biometrics for passport-free clearance, with plans to extend this to other sea checkpoints.
Nigeria Launches Immigration Technology Research Hub
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Complex (BATTIC) at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja. The facility includes a Command and Control Centre for migration management, an NIS Data Centre for immigration-related data, and an ECOWAS Biometric Card Production Centre to support regional integration. It features technologies for risk assessment, unmanned border monitoring, and Advanced Passenger Information (API) analysis, with real-time video surveillance connecting border units and state commands. The complex also houses a Visa Approval Centre to centralize visa applications and streamline processes. Certified by ICAO and integrated with IATA, it aligns with international standards.
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December 11, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala
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