FIDO Alliance to Tackle Identity Verification and IoT Authentication

FIDO Alliance to Tackle Identity Verification and IoT Authentication
Standards group forms two new working groups to develop new open specifications.

The FIDO Alliance this week launched new initiatives to advance identity verification and the automated authentication of IoT devices on a network.


The group, which has created standards for passwordless authentication, has formed two new working groups - the Identity Verification and Binding Working Group (IDWG) and the IoT Technical Working Group (IoTTWG) - both of which it kicked off today at the Identiverse conference in Washington, DC.


Andrew Shikiar, executive director and chief marketing officer of the FIDO Alliance, says the IDW will define criteria for remote identity verification and develop a certification program and educational materials to support adoption of those specifications.


The IDWG will be led by co-chairs Rob Carter of Mastercard and Parker Crockford of Onfido. Other participating companies include Aetna, Idemia, Microsoft, Nok Nok Labs, OneSpan, Phoenix Technologies, and Visa.


Crockford, director of policy and strategic accounts at Onfido, notes that there's no standard way today for a user to validate their government ID or driver's license. The working group aims to develop a standard process using selfie photos as an additional authentication factor for applications that require validation, such a government agency or financial institution site.


"We're looking at doing three things: Create technical specifications for those two processes, run certification programs, and develop a testing process for the industry," he says.


Rolf Lindemann, vice president of products of Nok Nok Labs, says the FIDO Alliance's new initiative seeks to standardize how a user both sets up a new account online and recovers their online account from a lost or stolen device.


"Think about what it was like 20 years ago when you wanted to set up a new ..

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