Italian researchers endorse biometrics to prevent digital identity misuse

European Union countries are in the process of introducing their digital identities as part of the bloc’s plan to introduce the EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet. A team of researchers has proposed an identification model based on face biometrics and electronic national identity (eID) cards.

In a paper published in the Future Internet journal, researchers from the University of Sassari in Italy examine the impact of biometric-based digital identity and its use in everyday applications.

The EU’s framework for digital identity, Digital Identity Regulation (eIDAS 2.0) officially went into effect in May. The regulation acknowledges the use of biometric data but leaves the decision to use it up to EU member states.

“Consequently, the misuse of digital identities persists because biometric data in eIDs are not uniformly used, and there is no guarantee that the person accessing a digital identity is indeed its rightful owner,” the researchers say.

The paper uses the example of the Italian eID and proposes an authentication scheme based on biometrics in compliance with the GDPR and the eIDAS. User authentication takes place with 3D selfie biometrics and liveness detection from a video or series of photos compared to an ID directly on the user’s device to avoid some of the regulatory hurdles associated with traditional, centralized biometrics approaches.

The researchers note that more and more EU member states are implementing digital ID solutions based on smartphones. This opens the door to the use of technologies such as 3D monocular reconstruction techniques, HD and depth cameras, LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) and Near Field Communication (NFC) that can be used in biometric identification and authentication.

“The findings suggest that such a scheme can significantly improve the security and reliability of electronic identification systems, promoting broader adoption of eIDAS solutions,” the paper says.

Italy’s CIE (Italian electronic identity card) version 3.0 is already present in more than 90 percent of the country, with about 27.5 million cards issued in 2022, the report notes. Its government has recently announced the launch of a digital wallet scheme within the EUDI Wallet scheme clearing the path for a national digital identity program. The so-called It Wallet will reportedly roll out in January 2025.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  eIDAS  |  EU  |  face biometrics