Socure offers guidance for American public sector on digital ID with no national system

New York-based ID verification provider Socure has published a digital ID guide aimed at U.S. state and local chief technology officers (CTOs), chief information officers (CIOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs).

Created in partnership with Government Technology, the Digital Identity 101 playbook highlights the importance of having a secure digital ID for accessing online benefits and services. It also provides guidance on the best practices for developing a successful digital ID strategy without the benefit of a national ID system.

“As state and local governments continue to digitize more constituent services, the importance of digital identity verification programs has never been greater,” comments Matt Thompson, senior VP and general manager of public sector solutions for Socure.

In particular, the guidelines call for digital ID programs for the public sector to be inclusive, insightful, frictionless but secure, privacy-focused, fraud-responsive, and tested.

Additionally, the guide outlines eight crucial building blocks necessary for a successful digital ID program.

The first of them is user onboarding, which according to the playbook, often includes capturing users’ biographic and biometric data. Socure calls this the “most important step to providing an inclusive experience to constituents.”

The following blocks are progressive profiling and authentication, the latter via passwords, PINs, biometric data, digital certificates or other methods.

Single sign-on (SSO) is a separate block in Socure’s playbook, with the authentication method enabling “agencies to strike the right balance between security and a frictionless user experience.”

User profile management and fraud detection are the next building blocks to creating a successful digital ID program, followed by consent and privacy management and omnichannel support.

“We are proud to offer this resource to support the efforts of CIOs, CTOs and CISOs to build more innovative digital ID programs that minimize fraud while accurately and equitably verifying constituent identities online so they can access the benefits and services they deserve,” Thompson concludes.

For more details about these building blocks, you can download the latest Socure report using this link. Its publication comes weeks after the company announced hiring Jennifer Kerber as its senior director of government affairs.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital identity  |  fraud prevention  |  government services  |  identity verification  |  Socure