Login.gov records state-level wins amid wider efforts to achieve IAL2 status

Amid struggles in meeting National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identity verification standards, the Login.gov single-sign-on portal has expanded state-level use cases and seen a number of success stories, which the General Services Administration (GSA) catalogs in a recent blog post.

“Most Login.gov accounts are created to receive federal benefits,” says the post, “but in 2022, Login.gov began offering state and local governments across the country the ability to use its services. Since then, the use of Login.gov has rapidly expanded across state government programs.”

Examples range across scenarios, jurisdictions and purposes. In California, the ​​Cal-ITP Benefits transit app has gotten Login.gov integration, enabling mobile ID verification for access to seniors’ and veterans’ discounts. “Login.gov makes managing riders’ Personally Identifiable Information (PII) simpler, as riders consent to sharing only the information they need to, and most riders verify their eligibility in five minutes or less.”

Having run successful programs with Monterey-Salinas Transit and the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District, Cal-ITP is now looking at implementing the service for 13 more transit operators in California.

Gillian Gillett, chief of the Data and Digital Services Division of California’s Department of Transportation, says verification using Login.gov “opens the door to delivering benefits digitally, making transit more accessible and welcoming to some of the people who need it most.”

Fraud prevention, identity proofing initiatives touted as wins

To target increasing instances of identity fraud, Login.gov provides ID verification services to states administering unemployment insurance (UI) benefits through the Department of Labor.

“Arkansas was the first state to use Login.gov in its UI system, launching a pilot in 2022,” says the blog. “The program was a success, leading to partnerships with other states: Hawaii, Utah, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and West Virginia.”

The post also touts Login.gov’s In-Person Proofing (IPP) program at participating U.S. Postal Service (USPS) outlets, which “allows Login.gov to make identity proofing as convenient as possible for as many people as possible.”

For remote identity proofing during the Login.gov onboarding process, GSA has run tests on facial recognition, behavioral biometrics and other biometric technologies to ensure they do not exhibit bias. The test includes selfie biometrics and other identity proofing technologies from TransUnion, AuthenticID, Socure, Jumio, LexisNexis, Incode and red violet. The study is planned for publication in a peer-reviewed journal during the fiscal 2025 year.

Portal trying to get up to snuff with NIST digital ID guidelines

The biometric tests are part of a pilot aimed at addressing Login.gov’s ID verification standards problem, by bringing it up to Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) as defined by the NIST’s Digital Identity Guidelines (SP800-63-3).

The widely used IAL2 framework requires individuals to provide evidence that substantiates real-world identity. This may include government-issued documents such as passports, driver’s licenses or ID cards, which must undergo authentication.

Certain government agencies have stayed away from Login.gov because of its failure to meet IAL2 – or, in the case of the IRS, which briefly adopted the identity verification service last year, ditched it in favor of ID.me, citing security concerns.

Nonetheless, Login.gov looks set on trying to stay competitive. The GSA recently awarded eight ten-year blanket purchase agreements for identity proofing services, worth up to a total of $194.5 million combined, to Experian, Idemia I&S, Carahsoft, LexisNexis, Aderas, Celerity, Diamond Capture Associates LLC and TransUnion. It has just announced a new pricing model and appointed a new director. In adding face biometrics for its pilot, it has enhanced its identity verification capabilities. On compliance, GSA is planning a third-party assessment of Login.gov’s IAL2 status from Kantara.

And the portal continues to see pickup from government agencies. In July, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced plans to implement a more streamlined login process for veterans to access benefit and healthcare services through Login.gov. The U.S. Social Security Administration is also transitioning to Login. gov as its user authentication system. ID.me is also an option for each.

In 2023, 49 million people used Login.gov – the most recorded in a single year to date.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital identity  |  GSA  |  IAL2  |  identity verification  |  Login.gov  |  New Hampshire  |  U.S. Government