Biometrics pilots and protocol interoperability set up scale-ups

Partnerships making biometrics work across protocols and expanding pilot projects are common elements across many of the most-read articles on Biometric Update this week. Yubico and Hypr are making biometric security keys works across the different protocols that enterprises use, while J.P. Morgan pilots with PopID biometrics for in-person payments may soon come to a successful end. EU Digital Identity Wallets are testing further use cases (with IDnow technology) and interoperability, foreshadowing potential areas for the next round of innovation. In Norway, a new version of BankID for smartphones has launched.

Top biometrics news of the week

Yubico has added multi-protocol support to its biometric hardware security keys in a collaboration with Hypr. The partners’ joint customers can implement the FIDO protocol, Smart Card and PIV protocols on the YubiKey Bio and YubiKey C Bio to provide versatile authentication across the various devices, operating systems and applications used in the enterprise.

J.P. Morgan says the early returns from trials of its biometric payments system developed together with PopID have been encouraging enough to consider a commercial rollout next year. Trials have been conducted with palm, fingerprint and face biometrics for in-store payments, including at the Miami Grand Prix and with food services giant Aramark in Texas.

The EU Digital Identity Wallet, recently approved by European Parliament, represents a major opportunity for self-sovereign identity, according to SSI advocates from Impierce Technologies and the IOTA Foundation. An analysis from KuppingerCole says the EUDI Wallet will not only protect individuals’ privacy better, but also allow businesses to expand their processes.

Pilots of the EUDI Wallet are expanding, with IDnow announcing the implementation phase of a research project Soteria. The pilot sees applications for voting, examinations and digital health services in three countries. In another pilot, Ukraine has joined the Potential Consortium to test interoperability between the EUDI Wallet and Diia.

Norway’s BankID is deprecating its mobile service in favor of a new smartphone app, which binds the user’s identity to their account with selfie biometrics. The long-awaited digital ID is accepted for alcohol sales and a variety of public services, and will make online payments faster when activated with biometrics.

Tunisian lawmakers have approved two laws to underpin the country’s new biometric ID cards and passports. An amendment that would have blocked the creation of a centralized biometric database was rejected, but privacy groups warn that Tunisia’s 20-year-old data protection law is not suited to meet the demands that come with the change.

A review of recent work by NADRA and analysis of it places the digital identity solutions the agency has developed and its collaboration with other government bodies in the context of Pakistan’s e-government drive. The country has a unique multi-biometric identity management system, and has developed a range of services to support digital governance.

NADRA was established 24 years ago as of last Saturday, and the agency celebrated the anniversary with an announcement that it processed 30 million ID documents in 2023. It also previewed its plans for the year ahead, including biometric endorsements for document attestation and a National Registration Policy.

Refugees and people returning to Ethiopia will be issued digital ID cards for a pilot project being jointly conducted by the government and UNHCR. The issuance of Fayda numbers to 77,000 refugees and returnees in Addis Ababa is supposed to improve access to public and private sector services.

Leaders from the World Bank and Verizon underlined the importance of digital ID at the recent Global Digital Summit. Bank President Ajay Banga suggested that makes providing it a part of the social contract between governments and citizens. He and Hans Vestberg agree that improving electricity access for 600 million people in Africa will help countries honor that contract.

A hearing held by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission on the impact of facial recognition convened representatives of several government agencies, NGOs and Clearview AI. They variously told the Commissioners that they should be prepared to intervene to limit facial recognition’s use in areas like housing and forensics, and that the technology is an invaluable help to law enforcement.

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Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  identity management  |  week in review