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:
Idemia Completes Field Test for West Virginia’s Mobile Driver’s License
West Virginia is on track to become the next U.S. state to introduce a mobile driver’s license, powered by Idemia technology. Following a successful field test with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Idemia’s Program Leader, Chad Daigle, celebrated the milestone on LinkedIn, highlighting the collaboration with TSA and West Virginia authorities. This initiative aligns with similar projects across several states, including Arizona, Colorado, and New York, which use Idemia’s mobile driver’s license technology. These systems often rely on selfie-based facial recognition for identity verification, comparing users’ photos with those on their physical IDs. Idemia’s Mobile ID program gained momentum in 2021, with its technology now integrated into Samsung Wallet and recognized with ISO certification.
London’s Transit Agency Asks 30,000 Employees to Verify Identity in Person After Hack Attack
Transport for London (TfL) has required around 30,000 employees to attend in-person appointments for password resets following a cybersecurity breach that disrupted internal systems and online services. While customer-facing transportation services remained unaffected, employees experienced outages that impacted customer support functions, such as processing refunds for contactless journeys. The breach compromised both customer and employee data, including names, contact details, and email addresses, although no sensitive information like banking details was accessed. The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested a 17-year-old from Walsall in connection to the attack, who had previously been involved in another high-profile ransomware incident earlier in 2024. TfL, which manages London’s public transport systems and road network, is working to mitigate risks and restore full functionality, while contacting affected individuals directly.
FPC-Infineon Collaboration Delivers New Fingerprint-scanning Card Solution
Fingerprint Cards (FPC) and Infineon Technologies have launched “Secora Pay Bio,” a joint biometric payment card solution that integrates Infineon’s SLC39B Secure Element with FPC’s FPC1323 fingerprint sensor. The new card complies with Visa and Mastercard standards, streamlining the manufacturing process for biometric smart cards, allowing card manufacturers to use existing production equipment. The collaboration builds on the companies’ longstanding partnership, which dates back to at least 2020. A key feature of Secora Pay Bio is its in-field enrollment capability, allowing users to activate and optimize their biometric cards directly at the point of sale without additional devices. With each transaction, the card’s fingerprint template improves, enhancing user convenience.
EU’s Digital ID Working Group Holds Inaugural Meeting
The European Digital Identity Cooperation Group held its inaugural meeting this week, advancing the European Union’s efforts to establish a cohesive digital ID framework through the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Regulation. This advisory body, formed by the European Commission, is responsible for guiding the implementation of the EUDI Wallet and ensuring cross-border cooperation on digital identity initiatives. The group aids in drafting regulations, advising supervisory bodies, and developing an EU-wide toolbox for digital identity solutions. The EUDI Regulation, which became law in May 2024, mandates that all EU Member States offer a secure, interoperable digital identity wallet to citizens and residents by 2026. At the meeting, the group focused on governance of the EUDI Wallet ecosystem and received updates from the European Commission on the progress of national implementations.
Atlanta Airport Seeks Partner for Biometric Expansion
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is expanding its biometric facial recognition technology to all 40 international gates, building on the success of systems already in place for Delta passengers. The technology allows travelers to use facial recognition for boarding, eliminating the need for physical boarding passes and passports, significantly reducing boarding times. The airport is seeking a partner to roll out the system across all international flights, not limited to Delta, and plans to extend the technology to employee access for secure areas, replacing PINs with facial recognition for enhanced security. Atlanta’s biometric journey began with CBP’s 2016 facial recognition pilot and has since grown, with Delta launching the first fully biometric terminal in the U.S. in 2018. The airport continues to expand this technology for both international and domestic travelers.
Larry Ellison Calls Use of Passwords ‘Ridiculous’, Announces Pivot to Biometric Authentication
At Oracle CloudWorld 2024, Larry Ellison, Oracle’s co-founder and chief technology officer, declared the ongoing use of passwords “ridiculous” and advocated for a pivot to biometric authentication as a superior alternative. Ellison emphasized the convenience and security of biometrics, such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, as a replacement for traditional password-based systems. Oracle plans to eliminate passwords internally within the next year, focusing on biometric solutions for secure authentication. The company already offers a Biometric Authentication Service integrated into various Oracle products, and has developed an identity platform, IPtoki, which leverages machine learning and blockchain to manage biometric identities.
Facial Recognition Technology Helps Identify Wagner Mercenaries Lost in Mali Ambush
Facial recognition technology played a crucial role in identifying 23 Wagner mercenaries presumed dead and two captured after a deadly ambush by Tuareg rebels in Mali earlier this year. The ambush occurred near Tinzaouaten during a sandstorm, highlighting vulnerabilities in Wagner’s African operations, where Russian forces are supporting military juntas. By combining facial recognition software, social media analysis, and interviews with relatives, authorities were able to confirm the identities of the missing mercenaries from battlefield footage posted by the rebels. The deployment of facial recognition in warfare has already been seen in Ukraine, where the government used Clearview AI’s technology to identify fallen Russian soldiers, leveraging a vast database of images from social media to notify families of the deceased.
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September 19, 2024 — by Tony Bitzionis and Alex Perala
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