BT/ Mastercard digital ID app gets UK green light, launches NSW pilot program

Paradigm

Follow

Published in

Paradigm

24 min readMar 27, 2023

--

Biometrics biweekly vol. 60, 13th March — 27th March

TL;DR

Mastercard has announced it’s now certified under the UK’s Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF) as an identity provider
PayPal has extended its support for passkeys to Android users in the US
eBay has informed its merchants that their biometric data may be collected as part of the platform’s effort to fight fraud and maintain compliance with Know Your Customer regulations
MegaMatcher updated with Neurotechnology’s tattoo recognition, PAD capabilities
Paravision’s flexible enterprise face biometrics platform reaches commercial availability
Face Forensics adapts biometric software for disaster victim identification
Vivotek unveils edge computing facial recognition camera
Hypr turns smartphones into FIDO2 virtual security keys for passwordless authentication
Meta’s open-source AI training dataset features 26,000 videos
Ping Identity introduces a decentralized identity management system
JP Morgan will trial biometric payments with partner merchants, enabling customers to complete purchases with a palm or face scan, and without the need to present a payment card, cash, or any other hardware token
BIO-key, BeyondTrust team up to offer biometrics to improve remote access security
ProofID recognized as Ping Identity’s Delivery Partner of the Year
Alcatraz and Genetec each integrate access control technologies with Axis Communications
Tech5 launches umbrella brand for biometric products, comprehensive SDK
OpenAI setting the pace for EU regulators, as GPAIs throw a wrench into AI Act
NSA and CISA publish identity and access management best practices for the US
SwitchBot, Precise Biometrics, Betterlife collaborate for improved smart lock technology
Motorola to add facial recognition to mobile policing app Pronto
Idemia unveils two new contactless biometric devices to shorten airport journeys
Yoti partners on digital ID for gaming, trials age estimation for Danish drinkers
Pangea deploys AI stress detection system for Southeast Asia government
Facewatch to stop using Hikvision amid controversy over UK retail biometrics
Uqoud integrates biometric authentication from Aware for digital security
Shufti Pro appoints Dubai team leaders, signs up 3 fintech for identity verification
Panera deploys Amazon One palm biometrics to facilitate payments, loyalty program
Digital signatures are offered by NatWest with OneID tech as the UK considers regulation
Thales, Finnish police to launch new biometric travel and digital ID documents
Eurasian Bank onboards 1 million clients using Oz Forensics’ biometrics
South Africa’s birth registration system challenged over ‘unconstitutional’ requirements
Zighra behavioral biometrics green-lit for sale directly to govt of Canada
Nviso, Privately partner to integrate age verification solution into emotion-sensing Japanese retail kiosks
EU moves into negotiations on a legal framework for digital identity, wallet plan
Zimbabwe organizes ID card campaign to enroll more voters
Thales partners with IDScan to fight fake ID fraud, underage drinking
Maldives contracts identity card design, says no digital ID for the upcoming election
SuperCom picks up the last phase of a suspect-monitoring project in Romania
Australian gambling machine maker licenses Konami facial recognition
Oleria nets $8M for context-based, adaptive authentication in the enterprise
The National Security Agency (NSA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have released a new report with the self-explanatory title, “Identity and Access Management Recommended Best Practices Guide for Administrators”
Biometric industry events. And more!

Biometrics Market

The Biometric system market size is projected to grow from USD 36.6 billion in 2020 to USD 68.6 billion by 2025; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 13.4% during the forecast period. Increasing use of biometrics in consumer electronic devices for authentication and identification purposes, the growing need for surveillance and security with the heightened threat of terrorist attacks, and the surging adoption of biometric technology in automotive applications are the major factors propelling the growth of the biometric system market.

Biometric Research & Development

Latest Research:

Main News:

Mastercard digital ID app gets UK green light, launches NSW pilot program

Mastercard has announced it’s now certified under the UK’s Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF) as an identity provider.

In other words, UK organizations can now use Mastercard’s digital identity service.

“By receiving certification in the UK, Mastercard can collaborate with the private and public sector to offer ID,” says Sarah Clark, the SVP of digital identity at Mastercard.

Mastercard’s ID app is available in major mobile app stores. The company says it allows consumers to prove their identity for various purposes, such as job applications, purchases, rentals and university admissions.

According to Mastercard, ID provides a reliable digital identity platform that uses Mastercard’s global network. Consumers have control over their personal data, allowing them to decide what information to share and with whom.

The Digital Identity Assurance Trust Framework (DIATF) sets the standards for digital identity solutions, allowing certified organizations like Mastercard to work together and ensure that attributes and identities are consistent and trusted. Providers must conduct annual assessments to meet DIATF requirements.

“Digital identity is one of the keys to vastly reducing fraud and improving consumers’ experiences. The UK is at the forefront of giving people greater control in proving their identity easily and safely,” adds Clark.

Mastercard has partnered with companies such as Samsung, Microsoft and Optus to provide global digital ID solutions since 2019 and will continue to expand.

Фдыщб Mastercard is piloting a digital ID service in partnership with Service NSW and Tipple, a same-day alcohol delivery app, allowing customers to securely verify their age for online liquor purchases.

The pilot began this January and permits users to verify they are 18 or over via a Mastercard ID exchange with the NSW digital identity system.

Mastercard says it ensures the safe, confidential transfer of age verification from Service NSW to Tipple.

“In today’s landscape, there needs to be a better way to provide quick and easy access to goods and services, without the hassle of sharing physical ID documents,” says Mastercard Australasia President Richard Wormald in a Financial Review article.

This booze-delivery app can now verify your age

The pilot has met with strong consumer support, receiving 100 per cent customer satisfaction via a thumbs up/down…

www.afr.com

NSA, CISA provide IAM guidance

The National Security Agency (NSA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have released a new report with the self-explanatory title, “Identity and Access Management Recommended Best Practices Guide for Administrators”. The guide was released as part of the Enduring Security Framework (ESF), a public-private partnership aimed at mitigating threats to critical infrastructure and national security systems. The report notes both the prominence of biometrics in multi-factor authentication systems, and the related concerns about privacy, which the report argues can be alleviated through on-device approaches to storing biometric data.

CISA and NSA Release Enduring Security Framework Guidance on Identity and Access Management | CISA

As part of the Enduring Security Framework (ESF), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the…

www.cisa.gov

Ping launches decentralized ID wallet

Ping Identity has launched a new decentralized identity management solution, dubbed “PingOne Neo”. Essentially, the solution enables a user to request a digital identity credential from a participating organization, and to add that credential to their PingOne Neo wallet; it can then be shared with a business that requests it. PineOne Neo is part of an open platform for identity standards organized by the World Wide Web Consortium, the OpenID Foundation, and the International Organization for Standardization.

Ping Identity Launches New Decentralized Identity Management Solution - Mar 20, 2023

March 20, 2023 / PRNewswire/ -- Ping Identity , the intelligent identity solution for the enterprise, announced early…

press.pingidentity.com

Tech5, ZKTeco USA collaborating on decentralized biometrics for physical, logical access

A partnership has been formed by Tech5 Group, ZKTeco USA, PassiveBolt and PDQ Manufacturing to build a biometric physical and logical access control solution based on decentralized digital identity technology.

The partners plan to collaborate on delivering secure and efficient tool for businesses to manage access to premises or digital resources without storing or assuming control (and therefore in many situations liability) over biometric data.

PassiveBolt brings decentralized identity technology, ZKTeco USA is providing biometric readers, PDQ supplies the door locks, and Tech5 contributes its T5-Cryptograph digital identity container technology.

The use of decentralized identity technology is expected to act as an additional security and privacy layer, and to provide compliance by design with privacy laws like BIPA and CCPA.

“We are excited to partner with PassiveBolt, PDQ Manufacturing, and Tech5 to create a new biometric access control solution that leverages decentralized identity technology,” says Manish Dalal, President of ZKTeco USA. “This partnership demonstrates our commitment to innovation and our belief in the importance of biometric authentication as a key element of modern security systems.”

French AI surveillance bill passes, with biometric exclusion

French lawmakers have passed a hotly contested piece of legislation clearing the way for use of AI-backed surveillance systems at next year’s Paris Olympics, but forbidding the inclusion of biometric technologies. Alternative forms of computer vision, such as software that can detect abandoned bags or potentially dangerous crowd activity, will be permitted.

MegaMatcher updated with Neurotechnology’s tattoo recognition, PAD capabilities

A new version of Neurotechnology’s MegaMatcher product line has been released, with significant performance increases for fingerprint, face, iris and voice biometrics and the addition of a tattoo recognition algorithm, the company says.

MegaMatcher 13.0 features updates and improvements to the MegaMatcher SDK, Accelerator and ABIS, with improved accuracy and identification speed, plus other enhancements and additional features.

The tattoo recognition algorithm can detect, verify, and identify tattoos.

The fingerprint algorithm is now more accurate matching children’s fingerprints against adult probe images, a feature for criminal investigations to estimate if a fingerprint is mirrored, an improved heatmap for fingerprint quality, and new quality estimation for fingerprint wetness and dryness.

MegaMatcher’s facial recognition has improved performance for different poses, iBeta-confirmed ISO/IEC 30107–3 presentation attack detection compliance, redesigned face capture based on ICAO guidelines, conversion of hand-drawn faces to “realistic” probe images, and new facial anatomy attributes.

Quality estimation for the platform’s iris biometrics is improved and tolerance to lower-quality scans, plus improved estimation of iris orientation, the company says.

Voice recognition has been improved with a single model for recordings at 8kHz and 16 kHz, improved matching speed and text-dependent or text-independent optionality.

JP Morgan to trial biometric payments

JP Morgan will trial biometric payments with partner merchants, enabling customers to complete purchases with a palm or face scan, and without the need to present a payment card, cash, or any other hardware token. The financial services firm says it may also trial the technology at the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix in May, and that successful trials would precede a wider rollout of the technology. The financial services firm’s announcement comes on the heels of the news that Panera Bread will pilot a palm-based biometric payment system from Amazon.

JPMorgan to Test Biometric Payments at Some US Retailers

J.P. Morgan says it will begin testing biometric-based payments at some U.S. retailers. The pilot program, announced…

www.pymnts.com

Paravision’s flexible enterprise face biometrics platform reaches commercial availability

A new biometric face-matching platform for enterprises has been launched to commercial availability by Paravision to meet the needs of demanding use cases.

Paravision Search was first announced at Converge 2022, and is based on the company’s fifth generation facial recognition model, which has been evaluated in NIST’s FRVT. The company claims the model ranked as the most accurate in the FRVT in a January update of the ongoing NIST test just over a year ago.

The company’s facial recognition was also among the top performing matching systems in the latest DHS biometrics rally.

Paravision says the new platform can enroll 50 million identities in less than 3.5 hours and perform 1.4 million matches per second per core when running on an Intel Xeon processor at 3.1GHz. The platform can handle 120 concurrent requests per second on 16 CPUs against 100,000 templates, and can be further scaled with additional hardware.

Search also features dynamic sub-gallery creation and programmable elasticity for rapid re-allocation of computing resources to meet demand spikes and reduce costs when traffic is lower. The gallery management tool functions as a distributed database, Paravision says, allowing data to be added or searched quickly, with sub-galleries and attribute-based filters.

“Paravision Search offers customers unparalleled performance and scalability in an easy-to-deploy package that’s typically ready to use within a week,” says Paravision Chief Product Officer Joey Pritikin. “It is a result of our continued commitment to providing state-of-the-art solutions that cater to the diversity of use cases we serve. Paravision Search will help our partners enhance their security posture and deliver superior experiences while minimizing development risk and driving significant cost savings.”

Face Forensics adapts biometric software for disaster victim identification

Face Forensics has responded to a request from an international agency by developing a Disaster Victim Identification suite based on its biometric corpse and tattoo recognition technologies.

The new f2 software is specifically designed to help identify deceased people by matching their faces, even if their eyes are closed and they have suffered damage or other are obscured by other markings like tattoos.

The international agency requesting the update is attempting to identify people who have died crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.

The company also launched a system for investigating human trafficking and child abuse last year, with CEO Ian Drummond saying at the time that f2 had worked with Red Cross International on identifying migrants.

Facial recognition is traditionally very dependent on information from the subject’s open eyes, due to the sharp edges and high contrast of their features, f2 says. The company developed technology to work around this limitation by providing an ability to crop part of the face image and place it over a generic face biometric template, the announcement explains.

The system works by ingesting several photos of the subject’s face, cropping them if necessary, automatically encoding them and then comparing them to templates in the database. The top matches are then displayed for visual confirmation by investigators.

Vivotek unveils edge computing facial recognition camera

A trio of edge AI developers has revealed new technologies that bring biometric storage and processing close to the place of application. They include a new camera from Vivotek, a family of vision-processing chips from Hailo, and a real-time data-processing platform from BrainChip.

Vivotek has launched its first facial recognition camera, FD9387-FR-v2, that combines edge computing to identify gender and age from video footage even when people wear masks. The company says it can store up to 10,000 profiles with a 99 percent accuracy rate and is compliant with the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act.

The FD9387-FR-v2 Facial Recognition Camera from Vivotek integrates the SAFR Inside AI facial recognition platform from RealNetworks, Inc.

Features include real-time facial detection and tracking, early warning of strange faces, an image privacy mode for sensitive areas, strong cybersecurity protection with encrypted data storage and transmission.

The Vivotek FD9387-FR-v2 Facial Recognition Camera suits building banks’, retailers, and buildings’ automation/access control systems. For example, it can integrate with business intelligence (BI) services to send real-time notifications when VIP customers enter the store.

Hailo introduces a new vision processor for edge-based smart cameras

Hailo, a chipmaker for edge AI processors, has released its Hailo-15 family of vision processors. These high-performance chips can be integrated into cameras to provide advanced video processing and analytics at the edge.

According to the company, Hailo-15 offers deep learning video processing and AI performance, allowing it to be used by city operators, manufacturers, retailers and transportation authorities for various applications. It can help improve safety and security, increase productivity and machine uptime, protect supply chains, and detect incidents quickly.

“With this launch, we are leveraging our leadership in edge solutions, which are already deployed by hundreds of customers worldwide; the maturity of our AI technology; and our comprehensive software suite to enable high-performance AI in a camera form factor,” states Orr Danon, the CEO of Hailo.

The Hailo-15 VPU family has three variants (Hailo-15H, Hailo-15M, and Hailo-15L) to meet different processing requirements. With performance up to 20 TOPS, the company says it enables over 5x higher performance than existing solutions at a comparable price point.

According to the company, this AI-based video analytic solution provides enhanced safety, privacy and cost-efficiency to organizations while reducing the complexity of network infrastructure.

Hailo will demonstrate its Hailo-15 AI vision processor at ISC-West in Las Vegas, Nevada, from March 28–31.

The company began a collaboration with Innovatrics on facial recognition late last year.

BrainChip unveils second-generation Akida platform

BrainChip Holdings Ltd. has announced the second generation of its Akida platform. It drives hyper-efficient and intelligent edge AIoT devices with advanced capabilities such as 8-bit processing, time domain convolutions and vision transformer acceleration.

“We see an increasing demand for real-time, on-device intelligence in AI applications powered by our MCUs and the need to make sensors smarter for industrial and IoT devices,” says Roger Wendelken, the senior vice president in Renesas’ IoT and Infrastructure Business Unit.

Applications that can benefit from fast vision transformation include facial recognition and other biometrics.

Akida’s second-generation technology features Temporal Event Based Neural Nets (TENN) spatial-temporal convolutions, which can efficiently process raw time-continuous streaming data. The technology enables more straightforward implementations while providing high accuracy and a lower development cost and is suitable for use in industrial, automotive, digital health, smart home, and smart city applications.

Akida’s second generation also offers Vision Transformers (ViT) acceleration. This neural network excels in computer vision tasks such as object detection and semantic segmentation, BrainChip says. Akida’s ability to process multiple layers simultaneously and hardware support for skip connections enables it to self-manage complex networks like RESNET-50 entirely within the neural processor without CPU intervention and reduces system load.

Hypr turns smartphones into FIDO2 virtual security keys for passwordless authentication

Decentralized authentication firm Hypr has unveiled a new software tool that enables companies to use smartphones as FIDO2 virtual security keys for passwordless authentication.

Called Enterprise Passkeys for Microsoft Azure, the program supports integration with Microsoft Entra. It aims to provide the flexibility and security features of FIDO2 authentication while removing costs associated with hardware security keys.

“Passwords continue to represent a significant security risk to the authentication process, and as attacks on enterprises continue to rise, the need to update outdated MFA [multi-factor authentication] approaches becomes critical,” says Susan Bohn, VP of product management at Microsoft.
“Customers with Microsoft Entra will now have the opportunity to use HYPR’s next-generation authentication technology to enhance the security of their organization through the elimination of passwords.”

According to Hypr CEO Bojan Simic, Enterprise Passkeys has already been tested by marquee brands in 76 countries, including three of the top five global financial services firms. Simic says the partnership with Microsoft will further spur the adoption of its passwordless technologies.

More information about Enterprise Passkeys and its integration within the Microsoft ecosystem is available in the technology’s product brief here.

AI simulation firm debuts synthetic information to improve cars

A computer-vision synthetic data company says it can now provide synthetic data for auto-related use cases.

Original equipment makers reportedly can use the software from Synthesis AI to simulate behaviors in car cabins. Synthesis says it also has launched an open dataset for driver monitoring model training.

This a response, company executives say, to carmakers who want real-world data to train, test and validate system development. Synthetic data is a better option, at least in some cases, given the privacy and safety considerations of monitoring actual drivers in situations that could prove dangerous.

Uses cases include occupant and driver monitoring and advanced driver assistance. Models include simulating drowsy driving, activity recognition, driver-pedestrian interaction and gaze estimation.

Australian gambling machine maker licenses Konami facial recognition

Konami Gaming has licensed its facial recognition technology for use in Australian gambling machines, according to Casino Beats.

Independent Gaming, a manufacturer based in New South Wales, maintains more than 5,000 gaming machines in the state, and plans to use Konami’s biometrics and Synkros player loyalty system. The new Synk Vision will enable players to sign in and use Independent Gaming machines without using the traditional magnetic player card, the report says.

“Our IP agreement for facial recognition use in all our NextNet gaming systems continues the advancement in our technology,” says Independent Gaming Managing Director Lawrence Shepherd.
“The benefits of biometrics within our player systems produces many possibilities for player functions and operators, ensures our gaming customers have decisive access to key facial recognition solutions.”

Konami has come a long way since the 1981 release of Frogger, debuting the Synkros system back in 2019 at G2E.

Startup partners to bring machine learning, facial recognition to IoT developers

A partnership has been formed between Useful Sensors, which supports the addition of AI interfaces to consumer electronics, and OKdo, a subsidiary of RS Group which makes and sells single board computers, to increase the availability of machine learning capabilities like biometrics, presence detection, hand gesture recognition and voice interaction.

The partners plan to bring small, low-cost machine learning hardware modules to market through the global manufacturing and distribution deal.

Useful Sensors makes a coin-sized module with a camera and a microcontroller that can perform facial recognition, according to the announcement. Other applications for the company’s person sensor technology include person detection, QR code scanning, and speech recognition.

“We’re excited to be working with OKdo,” says Pete Warden, CEO and founder of Useful Sensors. “The company’s deep expertise in building products that solve real problems for their customers is going to improve the solutions we’re creating and help us come up with entirely new ways of helping system builders.”

Hypr turns smartphones into FIDO2 virtual security keys for passwordless authentication

Decentralized authentication firm Hypr has unveiled a new software tool that enables companies to use smartphones as FIDO2 virtual security keys for passwordless authentication.

Called Enterprise Passkeys for Microsoft Azure, the program supports integration with Microsoft Entra. It aims to provide the flexibility and security features of FIDO2 authentication while removing costs associated with hardware security keys.

“Passwords continue to represent a significant security risk to the authentication process, and as attacks on enterprises continue to rise, the need to update outdated MFA [multi-factor authentication] approaches becomes critical,” says Susan Bohn, VP of product management at Microsoft.
“Customers with Microsoft Entra will now have the opportunity to use HYPR’s next-generation authentication technology to enhance the security of their organization through the elimination of passwords.”

According to Hypr CEO Bojan Simic, Enterprise Passkeys has already been tested by marquee brands in 76 countries, including three of the top five global financial services firms. Simic says the partnership with Microsoft will further spur the adoption of its passwordless technologies.

OpenAI setting the pace for EU regulators, as GPAIs throw a wrench into AI Act

The boom in Artificial Intelligence has regulators trying to catch up with technology that advances its capabilities by the day. As OpenAI’s ChatGPT and its cousins in General Purpose Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) create waves across industries and governments, the technology perhaps provides its own best analogy with the self-driving car: it is impressive — until it runs over a pedestrian.

Barely four months into its public life, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has upended European efforts to formalize the Artificial Intelligence Act, the flagship legislation to create safeguards and standards to apply to AI. According to Politico, the current draft of the AI Act aims to curtail potential harm; it addresses what it calls “high-risk” AI and restricts certain applications, such as social scoring, manipulation and some uses of facial recognition. But large language models such as ChatGPT, which have a broad range of applications, are categorized as General Purpose AI (GPAI) — and are therefore harder to pin down on a regulatory level.

On March 14, EU lawmakers put forth an amendment that would require GPAI providers to comply with standards initially designed for high-risk applications deemed likely to cause harm.

According to Euractiv, the new draft requires large language models to undergo “external audits testing their performance, predictability, interpretability, corrigibility, safety and cybersecurity in line with the AI Act’s strictest requirements.”

Response to the proposal has been mixed, with opponents expressing concern about overreach, and activists arguing that the law does not go deep enough and needs to apply not just to text-making systems, but to other kinds of GPAIs, as well.

OpenAI continues to push development, with the release of GPT-4, the newest generation of its foundational AI model. As reported in Techmonitor, unlike its predecessor (3.5, which powers the current version of ChatGPT), the system can intake both text and images, and output text based on pictures.

“GPT-4 is a large multimodal model (accepting image and text inputs, emitting text outputs) that, while less capable than humans in many real-world scenarios, exhibits human-level performance on various professional and academic benchmarks,” reads a post on OpenAI’s blog.

GPT-4

We've created GPT-4, the latest milestone in OpenAI's effort in scaling up deep learning. GPT-4 is a large multimodal…

openai.com

GPT-4’s image capabilities will only be available to one client, for now: Be My Eyes, an app that uses AI and video to assist people with visual impairments. However, its language component will be integrated into ChatGPT, and companies such as Duolingo have plans to incorporate it into language learning apps.

If OpenAI’s current pace is any indication, the question of oversight will quickly become urgent. With a fresh $10 billion investment from Microsoft behind it, the San Francisco-based research lab — which was founded in 2015 by, among others, Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, and has both non-profit and for-profit arms — is speeding ahead with new technological jumps; there was speculation that GPT-4 might come with video capability, and while that was not the case, it is sure to arrive eventually.

Human oversight is a key piece in the European AI Act’s regulatory framework. But, writing in The Parliament magazine, Johannes Walter, a German researcher and academic, argues that evidence shows human oversight can too often fail. He points to studies showing that people cannot always discern poor algorithmic recommendations, and to evidence from the world of policing and healthcare, where human oversight has not prevented technological bias.

“The problem with the AI Act is that it presupposes that AI systems have always been designed in such a way that human oversight will be effective,” says Walter. “As evidenced by self-driving cars that allow their operators to become distracted for extended periods, this is clearly not the case. It is therefore critical for each high-risk application to test whether humans can successfully exploit algorithmic advice when it is of high quality and ignore or correct it when the advice is poor.”