Biometric liveness detection planned in Australia, facial recognition in Macau for online government services

The Australia Taxation Office (ATO) has re-launched a tender for biometric anti-spoofing software for the government myGovID digital identity app.

The liveness detection tender closes on October 20, and the ATO will hold an industry briefing to provide background information. The tender posting describes the need for a “liveness solution” which proves the person registered is live and physically present, with a biometric selfie matched against a stored identity document image.

A pilot of the myGovID app was completed earlier this year, and the Digital Transformation Agency had hoped to test the biometric component during the first half of 2020. A public beta of the app’s facial recognition feature is now expected to launch in September 2021, iTnews reports. The agencies began testing biometric liveness detection technology from Idemia after a tender in 2018.

iTnews also notes that the DTA calls the capability it is standing up “identity proofing level three” (IP3), which is the strong assurance level for services with elevated fraud risks. Australia’s government is attempting to make all services available online by 2025, so others would presumably require the same level of identity proofing assurance.

A pair of security researchers recently warned of an access control vulnerability in myGovID which could allow replay attacks, according to a separate iTnews article.

Macau plans face biometric authentication for e-government services

Macau is planning to introduce a biometric facial authentication feature to enable secure access to digital government services, Macau News writes.

The director of the autonomous region’s Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) announced the feature at a press conference on a planned digital government services upgrade. Facial recognition will be one of the authentication methods available for accessing services, through the Identification Services Bureau (DSI). The DSI has established a system to secure face biometric data, according to the representative.

A law regulating online government services was passed earlier this year, and took effect over the weekend.

The use of biometric facial recognition is intended to make access to services quickly and conveniently.

Article Topics

Australia  |  biometric liveness detection  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  government services  |  identity verification  |  Macau  |  online authentication