UK guidance anticipates shift to private labs for DIATF compliance testing

The UK continues to move incrementally toward the full launch of the digital identity and attributes trust framework (DIATF) and the certification scheme that shows technology providers’ compliance with it.

The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) have published guidance for conformity assessment bodies (CABs) in preparation for the imminent production launch of the DIATF.

DSIT is the certification scheme owner, publishing and maintaining it and interpreting the trust framework.

Currently, the certification scheme is operating as an unaccredited pilot to test whether it is fit-for-purpose to meet the government’s policy goals, and to enable the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) to develop and accreditation process. OfDIA is overseeing the assessments during the pilot.

DIATF certifications under the pilot include 48 digital identity and attribute service providers, as of July 14, but several of them, such as Yoti and Luciditi parent Arissian, represent several different services. DSIT expects the program to graduate to an accredited scheme in “mid-2025.”

The certification scheme is aligned with the ISO/IEC 17065:2012 standard for certification, and OfDIA also referred to ISO/IEC 17000 for conformity assessment vocabulary and principles, ISO/IEC 17007 for guidance on drafting normative documents and ISO/IEC 17020 for operating inspections bodies while developing the scheme, according to the announcement.

The latest version of the certification scheme accompanies the Gamma (0.4) release of the DIATF, and was published the day after it, on July 1. It is planned to graduate from the pilot with the 1.0 version of the DIATF and the accompanying 1.0.0 accreditation scheme this year.

NO CABs have been accredited to certify services for the DIATF yet, but once the certification scheme pilot is complete, assessment bodies approved by OfDIA and accredited by UKAS can begin taking over the certification process.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  certification  |  Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT)  |  DIATF certification  |  Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF)  |  OfDIA  |  UK  |  UK digital ID