New national authentication service and digital identity announced for Finland

Cybersecurity services company Nixu is contributing its Managed Identity and Access Management (MIAM) service to a national Finnish digital identity authentication service in development.

The national digital identity initiative will see the additional support of Yleisradio, Alma Media, and Digital Living International, which together with Nixu established Finland’s Authentication Cooperative (Suomen Tunnistautumisosuuskunta).

The new digital identity infrastructure was originally known as SisuID, and aims to provide commercial authentication services around the world with a national cost-effective alternative that is both secure and privacy-friendly.

According to an announcement by Nixu, the cooperative structure behind the new project will also enable collaboration between companies across industries and market needs.

“The goal of the new cooperative is to function as an enabler of digital services,” says the cooperative’s CEO Liisa Lundström.

“The aim is to be able to offer affordable alternatives, also in the long term, by lowering service fees when the number of users increases and development and operating costs have been covered,” she adds.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Nixu will be responsible for the technical development and maintenance of the authentication service.

The company will also receive a sum “on the level of a few million euros” to provide the project with its MIAM service over the next three years.

“For years, Nixu has been promoting the development of national digital identity […] Mass-adopted, cost-effective and secure digital authentication is an essential part of cybersecurity of digital services,” comments the company’s CEO Petri Kairinen.

“As a cybersecurity company, it is very important for us to be involved in a project that will enable Finland to quickly introduce a national-level digital identity solution suitable for extensive use. This enables us to keep the digital society running through our own contribution, and it also includes export potential,” he concludes.

The cooperative plans to launch the service towards the end of this year.

Finland is also working towards the introduction of a national digital ID by 2023.

Article Topics

access management  |  authentication  |  biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  data protection  |  digital economy  |  digital identity  |  Finland  |  identity management  |  Nixu  |  privacy