ID.me: Deploy privacy-enhancing authentication engine
Awarded in 2013
01 December, 2015
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ID.me was granted $1.2 million in 2013 to pilot trusted identity solutions around its digital authentication engine Troop ID. The company initially focused on military members and their families but has expanded to include first responders, teachers and students.
ID.me is a digital identity network that enables consumers to prove who they are online while controlling how their information is shared with brands, says co-founder Matthew Thompson. “For participating organizations, ID.me acts as a trusted intermediary capable of verifying consumer identity and group affiliations in real-time.” Services include retail, financial, government – and soon health care. More than a million customers now use ID.me credentials for online discounts and benefits.
The pilot is in year two of funding and is in the process of extending its identity and attribute service to operate as a fully certified FICAM Level of Assurance one through three interoperable credential. “This will enable our user population to cross the chasm from the retail environment to higher risk, higher value resources, services and benefits provided by governments and commercial organizations without having to create new credentials at each relying party,” Thompson says.
Outcomes
- Membership has tripled and the number of relying parties using the service has increased more than 150%
As a relying party for federated digital id, Under Armour increased its Affiliate Revenue by Double Digits
- Results were published showing the impact that federated identity solutions can have on relying parties’ revenues. For example, Under Armour’s customer base expanded and 30% of revenue growth in the military and first responder market came via the project.
- ID.me can now provide federated logon for government services after being certified by Kantara as a credential service provider.
Lessons learned
An impediment to secure digital credentials has been the lack of accreditation and trust marks, says Thompson. “The establishment of commercially recognized accreditation and trust marks will speed adoption,” he adds.
Obtaining a credential also can’t be an arduous task. “Reducing friction associated with user on-boarding is key to increasing the adoption of trusted credentials,” Thompson explains. “ID.me’s network provides a channel for users to enter with minimal friction by establishing a LOA-1 identity credential.”
“This network also allows users to bring tokens from other IDPs at the LOA where the IDP is approved,” explains Thompson. “The user’s credential is then elevated gradually as the user encounters relying parties within the ID.me ecosystem that require higher levels of assurance.”