PRESS RELEASE

September 17, 2014 10:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time

BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today awarded MorphoTrust USA (Safran) a pilot grant to create an electronic ID (eID) to access online services with the same security, privacy protection and ability to authenticate identity as today’s face-to-face transactions. MorphoTrust, a leading U.S. provider of identity solutions and services, the North Carolina Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Health and Human Services (DHHS), and their partners, will receive $1.47 million over the next two years to test the security, viability and interoperability of an electronic credential that promotes confidence, privacy, choice and innovation to meet the guiding principles of the White House’s National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace.

“Trust is necessary to enable the growing web economy and ensure the security of our identities online”

The driver license is the document U.S. citizens most rely on to establish and assert their identity, providing access to a wide range of benefits, privileges and services. However, there is currently no equivalent for online transactions. The objective of this public-private partnership is to bring the well-established trust of the physical driver license into the online environment as a low-cost, readily available, yet highly reliable means of assuring that people are who they claim to be in an online setting. The goals of the pilot are to:

Prove that an eID can be created that carries the trust of a secure credential and can be used to eliminate in-person identity proofing requirements.

Demonstrate elevation of trust using biometric multi-factor authentication.

Define a framework through which states and commercial entities can trust each eID.

To achieve these goals, MorphoTrust will leverage the North Carolina driver license, state ID documents and system of record to create an eID for those applying for the North Carolina DHHS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Program online. This is intended to eliminate the need for people to appear in person to apply for FNS benefits, reducing costs to the state while providing applicants with faster, easier access to the benefits they need. In addition to the North Carolina DOT and DHHS, MorphoTrust will partner with The University of Texas at Austin Center for Identity, Gluu, Toopher, miiCard and Privacy Engineer Debra Diener for this pilot.

“Trust is necessary to enable the growing web economy and ensure the security of our identities online,” MorphoTrust CEO Bob Eckel said.

“Working with our partners, MorphoTrust’s plan is to facilitate this trust, allowing individuals to confidently assert their identity online, and provide relying parties with the assurance that these identities are trustworthy.”

For more information visit www.morphotrust.com/NSTIC.  

About MorphoTrust® USA

MorphoTrust USA (Safran) is “The Identity Company,” providing market-leading solutions and services to state and federal agencies as well as businesses that simplify, protect and secure the lives of Americans. The company’s offerings help ensure individuals are who they claim to be through the use of document authentication, data verification and biometric identification (face, fingerprints, iris and skin). Forty-two of 50 states use MorphoTrust solutions to produce 80% of the U.S. driver licenses and IDs – the documents citizens rely on to exercise their civil rights, gain access to benefits and services, and ensure trusted transactions while reducing fraud and enhancing national security. Other programs include U.S. passports and passport cards, as well as solutions for border management, public safety, banking and travel. MorphoTrust serves consumers through a nationwide network of 1100 IdentoGO® Centers, delivering fingerprinting and other identity-related services to over 3 million customers annually.