UK startup’s accreditation, £18M One Login contracts to build digital ID trust

Onboarding and KYC startup Orchestrating Identity has been double-certified by the Kantara Initiative as both an Identity Service Provider (IDSP) and an Orchestration Service Provider (OSP) under the UK’s Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).

The DIATF is expected to finally receive Royal Assent, the final step in establishing its legal status, in the weeks ahead.

Orchestrating Identity is one of six organizations in the UK to hold both IDSP and OSP accreditations, and says it is the only dual-certified company offering an open, flexible and IDSP-agnostic orchestration platform. The company is also the first accredited for orchestration in the UK by Kantara.

“Their approach to open-orchestration has the potential to change the way the benefits of trusted identity verification is applied across a wide range of services,” says Kantara Initiative ED Kay Chopard in the announcement.

Digital identity orchestration services were identified as a key market opportunity in a blog post by the UK’s Government Digital Service published in response to fears that the Gov.uk digital wallet could unfairly compete with private sector options.

“Trust and Identity Orchestration — what we call TIDO services — bring much needed confidence for consumers and organisations when transacting digitally,” Orchestrating Identity Strategic Advisor David Rennie says.

“The dual certification under the UK’s Trust Framework as both an Identity Service Provider (IDSP) and Orchestration Service Provider (OSP) allow us to bring internationally recognised, government-grade identity technologies to the commercial market through our partnership with Idemia Smart Identity.”

Orchestrating Identity states that its platform provides interoperability with digital identity initiatives outside the UK, based on international identity standards.

2 contracts for One Login security

GDS has signed a pair of deals worth a combined 18 million pounds (approximately US$24.3 million) for cybersecurity and technical architecture services to help the Gov.uk One Login service reattain DIATF certification.

The certification lapsed when biometrics provider iProov allowed its certification to lapse.

Accenture has won a 2-year, £10 million ($13.5 million) contract to provide cybersecurity services, PA Consulting has picked up a 2-year, £8 million ($10.8 million) deal for the technical architecture work.

Observers have raised a series of cybersecurity concerns with One Login, from an assessment by the Cabinet Office and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) that  a whistleblower told Computer Weekly could put the data of three million people at risk.

Article Topics

DIATF certification  |  digital identity  |  Gov.UK  |  government purchasing  |  Idemia Smart Identity  |  identity orchestration  |  Identity Service Providers (IDSP)  |  Kantara  |  One Login  |  Orchestrating Identity  |  Orchestration Service Provider