Authentication

4 considerations for launching an effective digital ID system

COMMENTARY | Successful digital identification programs need to provide equal access, security, interoperability and user convenience.

  • By Carl Hammersburg

Hawaii’s wildfires led to fast tracking federal identity tools for unemployment claims

Unemployment is on the rise in Maui due in part to the drastic drop in tourism after the devastating wildfires. But the state's rapid deployment of an underutilized federal identity verification tool will help it get benefits to the people who really need it.

  • By Natalie Alms

Arkansas social media age verification law struck down by federal court

Law would’ve been the first to restrict social network access based on age and parental permission.

  • By Hunter Field, Arkansas Advocate

Real ID requirements temporarily waived for states' mobile IDs

The coming rulemaking would waive REAL ID Act requirements so that federal agencies can still accept mobile driver's licenses when the law’s implementation starts in 2025.

  • By Natalie Alms

State shifts mobile driver’s licenses into higher gear

Thanks to the growing adoption of smartphone wallets and mobile payment technologies like Apple Pay and Google Pay, Colorado officials expect the state’s mDL to gain wide acceptance.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Zero-trust citizen access: Secure services for residents and agencies

COMMENTARY | A zero-trust citizen portal gives residents seamless access to public services while protecting increasingly vulnerable government networks from attack.

  • By Ian Milligan-Pate

What are passkeys? A cybersecurity researcher explains how you can use your phone to make passwords a thing of the past

Passwords can be hard to remember and easy to compromise, making passkeys an attractive option for digital authentication.

  • By Sayonnha Mandal

Passwordless authentication could cure user verification ills

As compromised and weak passwords continue to create major, ongoing vulnerabilities, organizations are looking at FIDO-based login options.

  • By Chris Teale

Watermarking ChatGPT, DALL-E and other generative AIs could help protect against fraud and misinformation

Digital watermarks on training data used for generative AI tools such as ChatGPT could help protect against fraudulent activity, an expert says.

  • By Hany Farid, The Conversation

UI modernization, identity verification limit state fraud loss

Halfway through a four-year modernization of its unemployment insurance management system, New York state’s Labor Department aims to create a more seamless and secure user experience.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Verifying identity is the foundation of cybersecurity, state CSO says

Delaware’s security program aims to “walk alongside the user” as constituents access services and employees conduct business.

  • By Heather Kuldell

Authentication considerations for state and local governments

Multifactor authentication adds a layer of security to accessing accounts but agencies should know the differences between methods.

  • By Kimberly Biddings
Featured eBooks
The State of Trust in Government
Cybersecurity in State and Local Government
Building Data Literacy in the State and Local Workforce

Government agencies are tapping a facial recognition company to prove you’re you – here’s why that raises concerns about privacy, accuracy and fairness

  • By James Hendler, The Conversation

Agencies still rely on username-password for access management

Even though more secure identity access management solutions exist, 86% of federal, state and local government respondents said that usernames and passwords are their most-used authentication method, according to a recent survey.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Ohio adopts single sign-on for unemployment claims

The OH|ID gives users a trusted identity they can use for unemployment benefits, while offering state agencies enterprise-level identity proofing services.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

When multifactor authentication for data security isn’t enough

Pre-boot authentication denies an attacker access to even a single data point – a viable option for federal agencies and critical infrastructure organizations securing data at rest.

  • By Chris Kruell

When people become data records, ‘low-resolution’ citizens struggle

When identity-authenticating systems are unevenly implemented, people whose identifying data contains errors or inconsistencies struggle to access connected government services.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Scaling up secure, single sign-on

With nearly $187 million in Technology Modernization Fund investment, GSA will increase Login.gov’s cybersecurity for current and future users, add equitable identity verification and in-person options for vulnerable populations and make it easier for agencies to provide Login.gov to more citizens.

  • By Chris Riotta

How transit-based IDs open the door for digital citizenship programs

By reshaping their digital tools, beginning with transportation-based identity systems, cities can create new ways for residents to interact with the urban environment around them.

  • By Miroslav Katsarov

PIV encryption: The solution to federal email insecurity

Personal identity verification credentials and encryption enable strong identity verification and end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the intended recipient can read encrypted emails and attachments.

  • By Sam Andoni

The new complexities of cloud access control

NIST's new guidance is a valuable first step.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz