Authentication

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

IRS backs away from facial recognition technology

The move comes after a letter from Senate Finance Committee chair Sen. Ron Wyden urged the tax agency to end a controversial contract with ID.me that requires taxpayers to submit biometric data to file tax returns online.

  • By Natalie Alms

As IRS grapples with ID.me, what's next for Login.gov?

The tax agency is in the hot seat with Congress and privacy advocates because it's asking citizens for a selfie to verify their identity with a private-sector service to file taxes online, but why won't the IRS use the government's homegrown ID system?

  • By Natalie Alms

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

Tech woes and fraud top the list of unemployment system issues

A new report from a special Pandemic Response Accountability Committee delves into the issues surrounding UI during COVID-19.

  • By Natalie Alms

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
Featured eBooks

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

How government can protect against CARES Act scammers

Identity proofing will ensure that relief funds get delivered quickly and accurately and that fraud prevention doesn’t put a burden on the user experience.

  • By Kim Sutherland

Solving identity management a 'game changer' for agencies

The General Services Administration wants an identity management framework that can be used across the federal government.

  • By Mark Rockwell