Authorities to Verify Identity via Smartphone

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The UK has acquired a new biometric capability, which allows secure enrollment onto Home Office services using a smartphone app. The process involves biometric matching of the user’s selfie against the image read from a user’s passport chip, using a unique technology.

The smartphone-based digital identity verification technology will assist the Home Office in delivering secure, easy-to-use interactions with individuals in accordance with the digital services agenda.

The technology will be provided by iProov, which specializes in biometric facial verification. Assuring genuine presence means that in a self-serve identity verification environment, a system must be able to confirm whether or not the person presenting themselves for verification is genuinely the owner of an ID credential – not a photo, screen image, a recording or doctored video. The company was granted 11 patents in the UK and US for its technology which detects such attempted frauds.

The Flashmark technology flashes a sequence of colors illuminating the face and for the face authentication process. Its applications include onboarding, ID verification, border control, strong customer authentication and access control, according to ocanada.com.

The new digital service will be provided in a multi-year contract partnership with immigration and border management company WorldReach Software with support from Dutch contactless document specialist ReadID.

iProov’s facial biometric technology is used by banks and governments around the world for secure customer onboarding, logon and authentication, to ensure new and returning users are genuine and guard against fraudulent attempts to gain access to personal data or use a stolen identity.

In April 2018, the company was awarded a contract from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) to help US DHS to enhance and secure cross-border passenger travel.

Founder and CEO, Andrew Bud, comments, “Our position as the worldwide leader in this sector has been built with great support from the UK Government over many years. Our mission to assure trust in the online ecosystem has never been more important.”