ID Tech Digest – December 4, 2024

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:

World Foundation Expands World ID Passport Credential Program, Seeks Funding with Token Sale

The World Foundation has launched a World ID Passport Credential pilot, allowing users to link ICAO 9303-compliant passports to their World ID using NFC-enabled cryptographic verification. Initially available for passport holders from Chile, Colombia, Malaysia, and South Korea on iOS, the system offers a privacy-preserving alternative to the Orb biometric verification system, addressing supply challenges. The foundation plans to expand to Android devices and additional countries. Concurrently, its subsidiary, World Assets Limited, sold 59.5 million WLD tokens to institutional investors to fund network expansion, including the World Chain blockchain platform.

CBP Expands Use of Iris Recognition Technology

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expanding the use of biometric iris recognition at border checkpoints, with plans to implement the technology at 40 locations within four regional sectors. In the last fiscal quarter, iris scans accounted for 69 percent of border apprehensions, a figure CBP aims to increase to nearly 100 percent. This effort addresses challenges like fingerprint degradation, leveraging the permanence and accuracy of iris biometrics to complement existing facial recognition and fingerprint analysis systems. The initiative is part of CBP’s multimodal biometric strategy, which supports layered identity verification to enhance border security.

Global Luxury Fashion Leader Pilots Zwipe Biometric Access Cards

Zwipe is collaborating with a global luxury and fashion leader to pilot its biometric access cards, showcasing their utility in enhancing facility security worldwide. The initiative reflects Zwipe’s strategic focus on access control solutions, diverging from payment cards to prioritize physical security technologies. The Oslo-based company integrates fingerprint authentication directly on the card’s secure element, ensuring biometric data remains encrypted and self-contained. Powered by energy harvesting from card reader RF fields, these cards require no batteries, offering a secure and seamless option for businesses emphasizing privacy and operational safety. The trial builds on Zwipe’s partnerships with Schneider Electric and LEGIC Identsystems, reflecting growing demand for advanced access control technologies across diverse industries.

RML Hospital Terminates Nursing Officers Following Biometric Identity Verification

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in New Delhi has dismissed four nursing officers after they failed biometric identity verification tests, underscoring the increasing reliance on biometric systems in India’s healthcare sector. Using fingerprint and iris recognition linked to the Aadhaar database, the verification process revealed discrepancies in their registered identities, leading to their termination under compliance protocols. The development reflects broader efforts to enhance workforce accountability and reduce fraud in public healthcare institutions. India’s healthcare sector has widely adopted biometric systems since 2021, leveraging them for attendance tracking and employee verification to combat credential sharing and ghost employee fraud.

USDA Adopts FIDO Authentication to Deter Phishing Attempts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has adopted FIDO authentication protocols to implement phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA) for employees unable to use Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards. The move benefits approximately 40,000 users, including field researchers and forest service workers, by offering secure access to systems without relying on passwords. FIDO protocols employ public key cryptography and device-native biometric capabilities, enhancing resistance to credential theft and man-in-the-middle attacks. Adoption of FIDO standards has grown across industries, with companies like Mastercard, Visa, and Samsung leveraging the technology for secure and user-friendly authentication.The FIDO Alliance says that 20 percent of the world’s top websites now support passkeys, a trend further supported by NIST’s inclusion of passkey guidelines, addressing rising cybersecurity threats and demand for biometric-based solutions.

DERMALOG Biometric Tech Secures Over 64 Million Nigerian Bank Accounts

Dermalog’s multimodal biometric authentication system is now being used across Nigeria’s banking sector, securing over 64 million customer accounts. Developed with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 23 commercial banks, the system integrates fingerprint and facial recognition with liveness detection to verify identities during account creation and transactions. It underpins Nigeria’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) project, which assigns each customer a unique identifier linked to biometric data. Since its 2014 launch, the BVN system has standardized biometric enrollment across financial institutions, using both fingerprint and facial captures to establish digital identities. The system has identified and blocked over a million fraudulent identity attempts, addressing rising threats from global digital fraud networks.

Apple Gets Another Patent for In-display Face ID

Apple has been granted a patent for embedding Face ID components, including the optical radiation source for 3D facial recognition, beneath the active display area. This design aligns with Apple’s strategy to enhance its TrueDepth camera system while increasing usable display space. Analyst Jeff Pu suggests this technology could debut with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is expected to feature a narrower Dynamic Island. Apple introduced Face ID in 2017 with the iPhone X, replacing Touch ID with a 3D facial recognition system that projects and analyzes thousands of dots to create a depth map of the user’s face. The system uses infrared imaging and Apple’s Neural Engine for secure authentication. Subsequent Face ID improvements have included faster recognition speeds, smaller notches, and adaptations for mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

River Plate Implements Veridas Biometric Ticketing System

Club Atlético River Plate has partnered with Veridas to implement a facial recognition-based biometric ticketing system at Estadio Monumental. The system streamlines fan access by matching live facial captures with pre-registered biometric templates, enabling secure, contactless entry. Veridas, established in 2017 by BBVA bank and das-Nano, specializes in biometric solutions featuring facial recognition and liveness detection. Their technology, independently tested for accuracy and anti-spoofing, is utilized by over 250 clients worldwide across banking, telecommunications, and public sectors. The deployment at River Plate reflects a broader trend in sports venues adopting biometric systems to improve security, combat ticket scalping, and reduce wait times. 

Ghana Launches Chip-Embedded Passport

Ghana has launched a chip-embedded passport incorporating biometric data, enhancing security and compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The initiative, introduced through a Build, Operate, and Transfer partnership with Biometric Travel Solutions Limited, modernizes Ghana’s passport system and streamlines application processes at domestic and international Passport Application Centres. President Nana Akufo-Addo highlighted the passport’s role in improving travel efficiency and reducing fraud, while Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey emphasized the importance of staying aligned with global technological advancements. This development marks a significant step in Ghana’s efforts to modernize its identity systems and foster international interoperability.

Credence ID Appoints Names Former Aware, Idemia Exec as CFO

Credence ID has appointed David Barcelo as its Chief Financial Officer to lead financial operations, corporate development, and capital raising as the company expands in the Mobile ID verification market. Barcelo, with over 20 years of experience in the identity and technology sectors, previously served as CFO at Aware, Inc., and held senior finance roles at IDEMIA. Credence ID’s platform supports Mobile IDs from all U.S. states adopting Mobile Driver’s Licenses and integrates with major digital wallets. This move follows increased demand for Mobile ID solutions in areas like age verification and identity assurance and the company’s recent patents for secure verification technologies.

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December 4, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala