Asia
ForgeRock has continued its expansion across Asia, making ForgeRock Identity Cloud available locally from two new datacentres in Indonesia and Hong Kong.
By adding the two new datacentres to the existing one in Singapore, ForgeRock says it enables large, multinational enterprises to deliver apps and services quickly to their customers locally and ensure crucial services like telehealth and mobile banking are secure. The expansion in Asia will also help enterprises meet important regulatory and compliance requirements around data sovereignty and data residency.
United Kingdom
The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has called on the Home Office to address what it considers flaws in plans to introduce permanent digital Right to Work (RTW) screening.
From April 6, 2022, the Home Office is set to move to permanent Digital Identity Right to Work checks.
The checks began on March 30, 2020, during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, carried out over video calls.
According to Tania Bowers, global public policy director at APSCo, while the introduction of the option to obtain a digital Right To Work confirmation from a certified service provider of Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT) is welcomed, there are some concerns in the plans outlined, including a lack of clarity around standardised rates or fee caps to prevent SME recruiters from being financially burdened, limited timeframes to allow for an appropriate preferred supplier selection process and the potential for unnecessary duplication of checks.
United Kingdom
Elsewhere, the Digital Identity Systems Certification (DISC) service has confirmed that “expressions of interest” in becoming certified under the Digital Identity Trust Framework and Right to Work/Right to Rent and CRB criteria are now being taken.
The service says it is having conversations with multiple ID service providers about the criteria and timetable for expressions of interest and will shortly be able to accept formal applications for certification. For the service to be up and running by April 6, formal applications will need to be lodged by Friday February 11. After this date the certification process will commence, and is anticipated to take a total of 15 – 18 audit days (rather than the 25 – 35 previously indicated by DCMS).
Identity service providers (IDSP)s will be a certified provider and will be legally able to describe themselves as such, but they will not be authorised as a Right to Work/Rent/CRB IDSP provider until they appear on a list to be published by the Home Office on gov.uk. DISC says it is required to notify DCMS and the Home Office when a certification is issued and they will then carry out their own checks before listing them on gov.uk. It is thought that checks will cover national security, sanctions and political exposure.
Luxembourg
The University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) and the digitalisation ministry have signed a four-year agreement aiming to accelerate the public administration’s digitalisation, starting with digital identity documents.
This new approach of the ministry will allow it to access and benefit from working prototypes and the SnT’s expertise. The goal of their partnership is to demonstrate that technology can solve specific challenges for the public sector.
Specific areas will be targeted via a set of collaborative research contracts regarding public sector data, interoperability, digital inclusion and GovTech solutions. The first contract was signed on the same day as the agreement between the two parties. The resulting project—titled digital identities for Luxembourg – will explore the possible use of digital identity documents and digital wallets.
India
The central government appears to be working on a replacement for the Aadhaar Card. According to The Indian Express’ assessment of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) proposed plan, the government is working on a new model of Federated Digital Identities’ that will link multiple digital IDs such as driving licences, passport numbers, PAN numbers, and so on into one.
The planned strategy has been relocated under the India Enterprise Architecture (IndEA) 2.0, which was first announced in 2017 with the goal of bringing government and business organisations together to make online identification processes easier.
The government has proposed a redesigned framework in which the most comprehensive work will be done by the Centre ‘or by ministries that deal with concurrent or state matters,’ according to the government. The ‘state architecture pattern’ will be handled by state governments, while the ‘InDEA Lite architectural pattern’ will be handled by both state and federal governments.
The proposal is expected to be released to the public soon, and the Ministry may request feedback by February 27.
United Kingdom / New Zealand
Chester-headquartered GB Group has snapped up New Zealand-based identity verification specialist, Cloudcheck.
The group has spent £14 million to acquire the counterpart, which is set to generate revenues of around NZ$5 million (£2.45 million) in the year ending March 31.
The Cloudcheck electronic identity verification allows businesses to check customer identities using biometric checks, bank details, government data, and more.
Its acquisition comes not long after GB Group expanded further into North America with a takeover of LA-headquartered Acuant for the value of $736 million.
“The Cloudcheck platform will be able to consume GBG’s international data and create an opportunity for our New Zealand customers to benefit from the breadth of other identity and anti-fraud services we can provide,” said Chris Clark, CEO of GB Group.
“Cloudcheck will also complement GBG’s successful approach to its identity strategy in Australasia – providing experienced local presence and best-of-breed domestic product to our customers.”
United Kingdom
Asda has started trialling an automated age verification solution at self-checkouts which aims to speed up the process when purchasing alcohol.
Customers in Asda’s Pudsey and Stevenage stores can use the technology that works via a camera in the self-checkout screen estimating a customer’s age.
The initiative is part of a Home Office test to allow the trial of technologies that can assist in the requirement for age verification in the retail sale of alcohol.
Shoppers purchasing alcohol look at a camera to verify their age before completing their purchase. If the system detects a customer looks younger than 25, they can prove their age through the Yoti and Post Office EasyID apps.
The trial is in partnership with checkout technology firm NCR and digital identity network, Yoti. It will run until the end of May and the technology will only be used for the purchase of alcohol products during the trial.
Indonesia
Indonesia says it is determined to accelerate digital transformation this year according to its digital roadmap.
The country’s director-general of informatics applications at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo), Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan, said innovations including digital identity are in line with what Indonesia will address in the upcoming G20 Presidency.
“Kominfo will continue to prepare regulations related to the growth of Indonesia’s digital identity, build a trust-based digital ecosystem, and also strengthen domestic digital human resources,” said Semuel.
“Based on our studies from several countries, electronic certificates are a necessity to be realized in encouraging the growth of the digital economy,” he added.
Pakistan
The people of Pakistan will soon be able to apply for, store and display a digital version of their national identity card in a digital ID wallet on their smartphone using an updated version of the country’s Pak-ID mobile app.
Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) launched Pak-ID in September 2021, enabling citizens to apply for a physical ID card remotely by using their Android or iOS device to scan supporting documents and capture biometric data including their fingerprint and a photograph of their face to verify their identity.
NADRA now plans to use the same technology to roll out a digital identity wallet via an update of the Pak-ID app that it plans to make available “later this year”.
“In a short span, 75,000 overseas Pakistanis have processed their national identity cards from the comfort of their homes by using the [Pak-ID] app, which is supported by two-factor authentication,” NADRA’s Tariq Malik told media outlet Dawn News.
United States
The FDIC and FinCEN opened the registration period for interested individuals to participate in the ‘Tech Sprint Program’ to help measure the effectiveness of digital identity proofing.
The Tech Sprint is intended to address the challenges associated with compromised personally identifiable information, false identities and multiple methods of digitally authenticating identity.
Interested individuals may submit applications online requesting participation by February 15, 2022.
France / United States
Advent International is looking to sell its French biometrics and fingerprint identification firm IDEMIA in a deal worth up to $4.6 billion as it seeks to capitalise on growing demand for cybersecurity assets in Europe, two sources have told Reuters.
The US buyout fund is reviewing a series of options to sell IDEMIA, including a possible break-up of the company which was formed in 2016 by combining Safran’s identity and security business with Oberthur Technologies, the sources said.
The move comes as governments around the world have stepped up their data protection defences during the pandemic due to the increased threat of cyberattacks while companies are vying to provide identification services to their clients.
