ID Tech Digest – October 30, 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:

IQE Abruptly Swaps CEO Amid Trade Tensions

British semiconductor firm IQE has announced the departure of CEO Americo Lemos, appointing CFO Jutta Meier as interim CEO amid ongoing industry challenges. The sudden leadership change caused a sharp 15 percent drop in IQE’s stock, highlighting investor concerns over trade tensions and supply chain security issues impacting semiconductor suppliers. Lemos, who joined in 2022, saw a disconnect between his strategy and IQE’s performance. The company’s board has appointed Mark Cubitt as executive chair to support Meier in bolstering cash flow and facilitating the Taiwan subsidiary’s IPO as part of IQE’s growth strategy in Asian markets.

Lyon Airport Awards Contract for Biometric Passenger Processing

Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport has awarded a contract to CITY ONE to implement biometric systems aimed at streamlining passenger flow in line with the European Union’s forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES). The initiative includes automated checkpoints that use facial and fingerprint recognition for non-EU travelers entering and exiting the Schengen Area, replacing passport stamps with digital records. The €13 million project, part of Lyon Airport’s compliance with EES regulations, seeks to enhance security and reduce wait times by integrating biometric verification checkpoints and automated queuing solutions to improve operational efficiency.

1Kosmos, Carahsoft Team with GSA to Enhance Login.gov Under $194.5M Agreement

1Kosmos and Carahsoft Technology Corporation have secured a $194.5 million blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with the U.S. General Services Administration to enhance identity verification for Login.gov. This agreement aims to meet Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) standards through biometric authentication and mobile credentialing, supporting Login.gov’s facial recognition implementation for live selfie verification against government-issued IDs. Part of the NextGen Login.gov Identity Proofing BPA program, this ten-year project seeks to modernize federal digital identity infrastructure with a focus on accessibility and privacy aligned with NIST guidelines.

REACT-OnID and Serpro Partner on Anti-fraud IDV Across Latin America

REACT-OnID has partnered with Serpro, Brazil’s government tech agency, to integrate its biometric ID platform with official Brazilian databases, enhancing identity verification for local institutions. The system validates identification details like ID numbers and facial images against authenticated government records, using biometric and document checks with passive liveness detection to counter fraud. With ISO 30107-3 compliance, it supports touchless fingerprint capture, facial recognition, and verifies over 14,000 document types globally, aligning with Brazil’s data protection laws to address digital fraud risks.

LSEG Risk Intelligence Unveils AI-Driven Solutions for Global Payment and IDV

LSEG Risk Intelligence has introduced two biometric verification tools aimed at mitigating fraud in financial services. The Global Account Verification (GAV) solution combats Authorized Push Payment (APP) fraud by enabling real-time account checks across 22 countries, with plans to cover 80 percent of G20 nations by early 2025. Document and Biometric Verification (DBV) targets synthetic identity fraud using facial recognition, liveness detection, and document validation for over 16,000 ID types globally. These solutions support compliance with upcoming anti-fraud regulations in the UK and EU and integrate with LSEG’s World-Check platform.

AffinitiQuest Teams with Canadian Government on Digital Credential Platform

The Canadian government has chosen AffinitiQuest to implement a digital credential platform using biometric and mobile identity verification for access to government services. The platform will support facial and fingerprint recognition and comply with standards like ISO mDocs and W3C Verifiable Credentials, aligning with Canada’s digital identity framework. Integrated with the Canadian Digital Service (CDS) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the system prioritizes privacy, adhering to the Privacy Act and PIPEDA through user consent, data minimization, and access controls. AffinitiQuest’s experience includes Ontario’s 2022 digital ID pilot.

Ethiopian Airlines Adopts Fyda Digital ID for Domestic Passenger Identification

Ethiopian Airlines and the Ethiopian National ID Program (NIDP) have partnered to accept Fyda Digital ID for domestic travel identification, allowing passengers to use their biometric Fyda IDs from booking to boarding. This integration follows the Digital ID Law of 2023, which established Fyda ID, now with over 9.2 million enrollees. The partnership aims to enhance efficiency and security in passenger processing on domestic routes, complementing Ethiopia’s digital transformation agenda, which includes recent advancements like the National Public Key Infrastructure for secure digital government services.

–

October 30, 2024 – by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala