Sri Lanka conducting user and security testing for biometric identity card project

The user and security testing for Sri Lanka’s Electronic National Identity Card (e-NIC) project is now ongoing, M.S.P. Suriyapperuma, director general of the Department of Registration of Persons, told Biometric Update on Wednesday in Colombo.

“Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) is conducting this testing.” This testing is being conducted to check the strength of the software, etc, she added.

The Department of Registration of Persons in Sri Lanka has procured 700,000 polycarbonate cards from Thales for its Electronic National Identity Card (e-NIC) project, which includes biometric features such as fingerprint, iris, and face recognition details for enhanced security and efficiency in identification confirmation.

The plan is to integrate the Sri Lanka Unique Digital ID project with the e-NIC, assigning unique ID numbers, centralizing various types of IDS, and capturing data like birth certificates and tax identification, Suriyapperuma said.

The project has improved citizens’ access to National ID cards by establishing 335 departmental ID card units in all Divisional Secretariats, decentralizing services to provincial levels, and establishing a Department for Registration of Persons in Battaramulla, Suriyapperuma said.  VPN technology has connected regional and provincial offices, and 2341 studios have been registered to receive personal photographs online. Starting October 27, 2017, a polycarbonate smart card with ICAO photo laser-printed in Sinhala, Tamil, and English trilingual was issued, Suriyapperuma noted. “The Galle provincial office also offers one-day service facilities to the public. These efforts aim to streamline the process of obtaining National ID cards.”

An awareness program was held at the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) to discuss the e-NIC process and operational aspects recently, she said, noting that The Registrar Generals Department plans to complete the e-population registry in Colombo this month, aiming to create an efficient life events registration system, increase information sharing with government institutions, and ensure data accuracy.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  digital ID  |  e-ID  |  identity document  |  SL-UDI  |  Sri Lanka