US wants word from vendors that can speed digital ID security standards creation

Anyone with the expertise and products to get digital identities on mobile devices fast are being invited by the U.S. government to let NIST know their interest in working on related reference architectures.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is managing the public/private project, which is expected to define and create privacy-focused digital ID architectures that are secure and equitable and easily adoptable and simple to use.

NIST’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is running the project, which has identified cybersecurity challenges that are holding back digital ID adoption, according to the government.

Ultimately, Washington wants to rationalize a digital ID market that needs technical standardization if it’s going to address the needs of anyone needing to reliably verify someone’s identity digitally.

Organizations have until September 28 to submit their letters of interest. They will need to show their ability to support and demonstrate ISO/IEC 18013-5 and 18013-7 standards for mobile driver’s licenses.

Last month, the European Union’s cybersecurity agency, published a report for digital ID companies trying to keep up with the multiple attempts to create standards.

Also in July, digital ID software maker Yoti announced it had met WCAG 2.2, internationally recognized ID guidelines, this one for web accessibility.

The standards effort has a history. Global financial companies HSBC and Barclays signed on to help the EU test digital ID standards for cross-border banking in 2017.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  digital ID  |  NCCoE  |  NIST  |  research and development