Which identity? You have many:

• your government IDs: in the USA, Social Security Number (USA), state Driver's Licenses, passport.
• Your Credit Cards and Debit Cards, each of which has a unique account number.
• Your Bank Accounts, again, each of which has a unique account number.
• Your membership cards in various organizations and service providers: gyms, museums, clubs, et alia.
• Your email addresses (personal, work, other)
• Your accounts at various vendors (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Costco, Sam’s club, Apple, Google, Facebook)

Each of these is a result of a relationship between you and some other entity, and some other entities take documentation of these relationships as either or both authentication (of you) and authorization for purchase/use of various goods & services.

Each of these carries risks associated with its disclosure to others - some higher risks than others. Your focus for security should be around:

• what can someone else do with this information or particular piece of identity?
• What will use or abuse of that identity information by someone else cost me, or the entities that I have relationships with?
• How much time, effort, and money should I spend to protect various of my identity information against improper disclosure & abuse?

Fundamentally, you have to:

• be judicious about volitional disclosure of your information (when someone or something asks for information, should you give it?); and
• secure the repositories of copies of this information, i.e., keep track of your wallet or purse, keep the software of the computers you use to store & process this information up to date, keep the physical copies of information you don’t use much in safes, bank deposit boxes.

The *most* foolproof? What kind of fools, and what are you proofing against?

It sounds like you want to allow every registered voter in the US to easily vote using any ordinary laptop/desktop, with any ordinary web browser, with a provable proof that is it actually them doing it.

It can't be done. It probably never will be possible. (What may make it slightly more possible: universal issue of a well-designed “smart” PKI card similar to the Estonia ID card or the US DoD CAC card to every person, and also the widespread subsidized deployment of readers for said cards, and then forcing every national and local government agency and regulated business everywhere to use them, so that people will be trained to not lose them and to keep them safe.

Given the fight over just mandating features into drivers licenses, the cost overruns and security issues of CAC cards, and the piss-poor security design of "smart" passports, I am not expecting success at any such effort.

The closest but distant second best will be to send each registered voter a card in the postal mail with an ID and PIN, and then let them use that to login to your voting site. But then people will keep losing those cards, or not keeping them secure and confidential, or not understanding what they are for.

You might as well actually send the actual ballot in the postal mail, with a return envelope. People do know what ballots are, know how to use them, and usually keep them at least somewhat confidential and secure.

The international propagation of coronavirus (COVID-19) dramatically changes consumer behavior. The that atmosphere of fear has either contributed to physical interaction between people being deliberately or unconsciously avoided. In this way, remote online services such as food supply, mobile banking and insurance facilities, including medical and legal assistance, have been promoted. We are now seeing improvements in marketing and delivery approaches introduced by companies to guarantee that electronic purchases are transferred smoothly. This includes aggressive IT system integration, in particular remote customer recognition technologies. The protection of personal information is of the utmost importance here, so it must be assured by distant services needing sensitive information.

One case: the medical consultation; it can only take place remotely now that we are in the midst of the quarantine. And since a patient would actually need to upload his medical history, test reports, and not just ID to provide such a service, it would also require a high degree of identity protection. Ideally, organizations need systems to ensure that not only a user's document can be distanced by identifying whether their image matches the photograph on the document, but also that the identity document is true or false and that attempts to bypass face recognition using lateral technology can be detected and prevented.

And financial organizations have learned from their own bitter experience of weak remote recognition practices for another example of insufficient data protection procedures, resulting in the offers and issuance of online loans to fraudsters who have obtained passport photos on the darknet and loans.

Both service providers and customers now understand that authentication by a single factor is clearly not sufficient. We do not even mention relying solely on login and password data. But even the image of an ID document is not enough, as traditionally demonstrated – high image leakage incidence has marked the unreliable ID authentication when used as a simple step to verify the user's identity. It poses a real threat, since both your personal data and your account are readily unauthorized. It poses a real danger.

The only solution to the user check today, which is a combination of ID document and biometrical facial recognition, appears to be multifactor authentication. The procedure will be as follows: when the document fields, including the image – which most ID documents have, are successfully recognized, the technology checks on indicators of false information. The second important phase of the process of verification has now been taken: facial biometric technologies identify the user's face from their device camera and check that the face matches that of the document picture. Owing to the pervasive existence of falsifications, both document recognition developers and facial recognition systems have expanded their criteria for detecting fraud prejudices.

In this sense, it should be remembered that here we are just thinking about active face recognition, in which the user "presents" his own face of free will by displaying it to the scan device's camera — a smartphone or webcam. But face recognition can be passive too, in other words, where the person does not know how recognizable his face is and what it was. There will be passive recognition in the streets and public areas in order to ensure public safety, but it is simultaneously seen as an explicit form of restriction of freedom. Active face recognition and document recognition, on the other hand, are strictly voluntary acts which act as a step towards the practical realization of rights and freedoms due to the strict security requirements of remote identification. For us, it is clear today that any technology should be used exclusively with the individual's permission during the age of rapid growth, and should help to improve and protect people's rights and freedoms – in particular when it comes to gathering , storing, systematizing and distributing personal data. In addition , a number of identification methods should be developed, and users should choose how to identify them.

In the identification of both documents and faces, we handle extremely sensitive data, which should be carefully protected from the public by all participants. The user must ensure that photographs of his own document or the face of unknown websites do not be posted and contested services are not registered. Organizations are responsible for choosing suitable vendors to implement technological solutions and ensuring security of their own IT systems. The integration of system integrators is necessary to avoid the involvement of unregulated third-party server that stores and transmits sensitive data via insecure channels.

In conclusion, the safest approach at present seems to be an IT system in which user identification is carried out independently on the end device without saving and uploading images of documents through third party networks, so as not to allow scammers to steal, sell and use these data illegally for their own purposes. Thus, facial recognition and document recognition processes in remote identification are not the reciprocal replacement for steps; rather, they should be synergistic because the fullest features of both are exposed in combination.

Blockchain is a decentralized ledger that lists transactions across a variety of computers. Instead of having one point of control, which can be quite vulnerable, blockchain spreads out the information in its network. Each block in the chain has a different hash from the previous block. This makes it practically impossible to tamper with information once it has been recorded. This makes blockchain pretty enticing for any form of digital identity verification.
Think of the number of times you need to identify yourself-for example, each time you create a bank account or want to access some sensitive information. Instead of stacks of papers, you could share one secure, encrypted token. Blockchain helps develop digital identities that are easily verifiable while being at the discretion of the owner himself. You choose what information to share and whom to share it with, reducing the possibility of your data getting into the wrong hands.
While blockchain greatly reduces the chances of fraud, no system is totally safe from attack. Hackers usually target the endpoints-that is, devices that create and make use of digital identity. In its turn, the decentralized nature of blockchain makes it way harder to breach compared to traditional systems. Think of a bank vault spread across multiple locations it is much harder to rob than one single safe. This can be expected to allow blockchain to complement digital identity verification with one that is more secure and in the control of the user, rather than outdated approaches.

You can't and if you could you would be to busy performing being a mind reader to ask this question.

Or let's look at this way. You can't even if you ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that wouldn't be an ability on that tree.

We must all face the fact there are somethings we can't do. I guess you can call it the unknown and the hope that it's going to be okay no matter what.

Suspense is difficult and sometimes rewarding. “You can do that which you don't know even if it won't be what you know or maybe it will" or “you can choose not to attempt and experience it because you can't know to begin with.” Take your pick.

Do what you think is right and if it doesn't turn out that way, change course, redirect. Self control is better than no control at all. The mysterious is yet to know and doing everything you can to find out.

I love a good mystery.

Yes. Blockchain based KYC and digital identity is one of the key areas where innovation is happening. In the space, it is better to think about a “digital package of bits and datapoints that when collected, can represent your digital self.”

For example, is your birthdate your identity? No. Is your birthdate and social security number your identity? Better, but still no. But if I add four or five other data points, then it becomes very easy to build a representation of you on a blockchain.

An immutable ledger that holds your identity is a easy way to protect people who have been denied access (via identity theft, human trafficking, or some other reason) to regain their personal sovereignty.

As an example, one of the projects that my company, Diginex, is working on (in a JV with the Hong Kong based NGO, the Mekong Club) is to provide migrant workers a safe and secure way to access their ID, their contracts and other personal info if they have had their passport taken from them by an employer.

This happens frequently with migrant workers, (there are 40 million people in forced working conditions and 9 million new people forced into modern slavery per year, or 1 every 4 seconds.)

How does it happen? you sign a contract saying you will be paid XXX$ a month, be given holidays and other benefits, but once you arrive in your new place of employment, your contract has been modified. The company emplying you has taken your passport “to get the visa updated” and are now holding it, forcing your cooperation. Because you may be illegal in the country where you are (why trust that your employer got that visa after all?) with no ID, no contract, you are hesitant to go to the authorities. But what if there was a simple way that you could access a copy of your original (unmodified) contract as well as your ID and the details of the firm that hired you? This is what we are currently teasting through a number of pilot projects.

If you’d like to know more, you can go here. www.eminproject.com.

We are only a single firm, other interesting projects are uPort and Civic, who are both doing interesting things. Feel free to do some follow up research on those companies through the links above.

The counter discussion to the above is that how, once all your data is uploaded to the distributed ledger how is that data protected? It is important that the entity uploading it cannot decrypt this data at whim, (by say, having the private keys) because it would be easy for a government or large entity to apply pressure to the firm that built the blockchain to be able to harvest this data. So, there are unique challenges in a public database that stores significant information about you, or your loved ones.

Yes. Decentralised user centric identity management with micro payments each time a user shares his/her identity for marketing or authentication purposes is about the only business case for blockchain technology I have ever seen.

Here are some specific use cases for blockchain in DUIDM:

1. Self-sovereign identity (SSI): Blockchain can be used to create self-sovereign identity (SSI) wallets, which allow users to manage their own identities and share them with organizations as needed. This can help to reduce the reliance on third-party identity providers and give users more control over their personal information.
2. Digital credential issuance and verification: Blockchain can be used to issue and verify digital credentials, such as diplomas, certificates, and medical records. This can streamline the process of verifying credentials and help to prevent fraud.
3. Decentralized authentication: Blockchain can be used to create decentralized authentication systems, which can replace traditional password-based authentication methods. This can be more secure and convenient for users.
4. Identity aggregation and linkage: Blockchain can be used to aggregate and link identity data from different sources, such as government databases and social media profiles. This can help organizations to verify identities more accurately and efficiently.

🔐👤 Facial recognition technology has come a long way in terms of security and reliability for identity verification purposes. With advancements in machine learning and image processing algorithms, facial recognition has become a robust tool in verifying and authenticating individuals' identities.

The technology works by analyzing unique facial features and creating a mathematical representation of the face, which is then compared with a database of known faces. When implemented properly, facial recognition can provide high accuracy and efficiency in identity verification, enhancing security measures in various sectors such as law enforcement, access control, and financial services.

Facia ensures that facial recognition technology is secure and reliable for identity verification by employing robust security measures. With encrypted data storage, stringent access controls, and adherence to privacy regulations, Facia prioritizes the protection of user information. Its advanced algorithms and continuous improvement ensure high accuracy and reliability in identifying individuals.

From the top:

I'll try to answer your question.

Some possible applications of this biometric based identification technology are access control to buildings, high security sites, access to sensitive accounts and computer systems, as well as financial information, personally identifiable information and services that should be seriously considered in need of such high security and also as being part of the implementation of a very secure security architecture for someone who has to comply with legal and regulatory requirements. This especially applies to systems that have to be in compliance with GDPR, laws regarding health care information, CCPA and other such security measures when it comes to privacy.

personally, i tend to lean away from ideas such as in the description of the question.

kik

if you download kik messenger you can have them send a “live picture”, meaning they take the picture in app, real time. it will show you that they did take a live picture, and not use one from online or something

picture with a _______

a common one but still good is to ask for a picture that includes their face and a fork, spoon, knife, etc. also, if they write your name on a piece of paper and hold it up and take a picture.

pill bottles/medication

ask them to send you a picture of a pill bottle of some sort that shows their name printed on it. it doesn't have to show what med it is, just that it's theirs.

The ONLY REASON I can think of where you’d claim a ‘need to verify’ someone’s identify is if you’re CHATTING WITH A STRANGER ONLINE, and I can guarantee you of one thing:

You are NOT chatting with anyone except a SCAMMER (and likely more than one, as they operate like a business). So, DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING ANYONE YOU’RE CHATTING WITH IS TELLING YOU; they’re LYING.

NO ONE *EVER* needs to verify anyone’s identity. THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO KNOW IS: YOU’RE BEING SCAMMED if you’re chatting with anyone over the Internet.

So, if you want to avoid being scammed, do this: NEVER ACCEPT CHAT REQUESTS OVER THE INTERNET. They’re ALWAYS from scammers.

Facial recognition technology for identity verification has both strengths and weaknesses. Here's a breakdown to help you decide:

1.Security:

• Pros: Can be highly accurate, especially in controlled environments with good lighting and recent photos.
• Cons: Vulnerable to spoofing (using masks, photos, or deepfakes) and biases in algorithms. Data breaches of facial recognition databases can be very serious.

2.Reliability:

• Pros: Convenient and contactless compared to traditional methods like passwords or PINs.
• Cons: Accuracy can be affected by factors like aging, facial expressions, and lighting variations. Algorithms might struggle with people of certain ethnicities.

Overall:

Facial recognition can be a valuable tool for identity verification, but it's not foolproof. It's most secure when used with other verification methods like multi-factor authentication.

Here are some additional points to consider:

• Facial recognition is a constantly evolving technology, so its security and reliability will likely improve over time.
• There are ongoing debates about the privacy implications of facial recognition technology, particularly regarding mass surveillance.

Blockchain technology can play a transformative role in identity verification. Its inherent features—decentralization, immutability, and transparency—make it ideal for creating secure and reliable digital identities.

By leveraging blockchain, personal identity information can be stored in a tamper-evident and encrypted format. Each user is given control over their identity keys, which they can use to grant access selectively. This approach enhances privacy and security, as personal data isn't centrally stored and is vulnerable to breaches.

An application of this is already being seen with self-sovereign identity (SSI) models, which allow individuals to own and control their identity without relying on any centralized authority. This empowers users to verify their identities efficiently while enabling verifiers to trust the authenticity of the credentials shared, thanks to the blockchain's verification mechanisms.

In short, blockchain has tremendous potential for streamlining and securing the identity verification process, making it faster, more efficient, and user-centric.

Blockchain technology offers several promising applications in the field of digital identity and authentication, including:

1. Decentralized identity management: Blockchain-based identity management systems can offer a decentralized and secure way for individuals to manage their digital identities. By storing identity data on a blockchain, users can control and manage their personal data, as well as control who has access to it.
2. Immutable identity records: Blockchains are immutable, meaning that once data is recorded on the blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted. This property makes blockchain-based identity records resistant to tampering and fraud, making them ideal for storing sensitive identity data.
3. Secure authentication: Blockchain-based authentication systems can provide a more secure way to authenticate users, as they can eliminate the need for centralized authentication authorities that are vulnerable to hacks and data breaches.
4. Digital certificates and credentials: Blockchain-based systems can be used to issue and verify digital certificates and credentials, such as academic degrees, professional certifications, and licenses. This can make it easier for individuals to prove their qualifications and for employers to verify them.
5. Fraud prevention: Blockchain-based identity and authentication systems can help prevent identity theft and fraud by ensuring that identity data is stored securely and that transactions are recorded on the blockchain. This can help to prevent fraudulent activities such as fake identities, fake credentials, and money laundering.

Identity verification apps offer several advantages over traditional methods of identity verification. Traditional methods often involve in-person checks or manual review of documentation, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error.

• In contrast, identity verification apps use advanced technologies such as biometric analysis and artificial intelligence to quickly and accurately verify identities.
• Moreover, these apps can be accessed remotely, providing convenience for users who can verify their identity from anywhere, at any time. It's particularly beneficial in today's digital world, where many transactions are conducted online.
• Overall, identity verification apps represent a more efficient, secure, and user-friendly approach to identity verification compared to traditional methods.

Blockchain technology shows great promise for securing personal identity and transforming identity management. By utilizing a decentralized, distributed ledger, blockchain allows for the creation of self-sovereign digital identities that are owned and controlled solely by the user. This confers several advantages:

• Decentralization eliminates central points of failure and transfers control to the user, reducing risks of data breaches and identity theft. Users have complete authority over their identity data.
• Enhanced security from cryptography, digital signatures, and immutable record keeping makes blockchain identities resilient against unauthorized access or tampering. The decentralized nature also minimizes risks from centralized database hacks.
• Blockchain enables seamless verification and transfer of identities across platforms through interoperability standards like DIDs (decentralized identifiers). This facilitates efficiency while maintaining privacy.
• Transparency and auditability from the public ledger promotes trust and accountability in identity transactions. All changes are visible to authorized parties.
• Use cases are arising across government services, healthcare, finance and more. Estonia's e-Residency program is a pioneering example of blockchain-based digital ID.

However, challenges around scalability, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, lack of standards, and privacy risks with public ledgers need addressing through further technical and regulatory advancements. Overall, blockchain heralds a new paradigm in identity management - more secure, user-controlled, and decentralized. But prudent implementation is key to realizing its full potential.

It made itself into a necessity: Cursive is no longer taught in schools so a handwritten signature, the typical identity verification of the past, is no longer going to exist. There can’t be as many variations in hand-printing as there were in cursive, so we’re at the mercy of technology to find uniqueness in each of us in order to prove our identities. Fortunately it is much more difficult to forge a fingerprint, for one, than it is to forge another person’s signature. The only issue is each person’s comfort with each level of “intrusiveness” that is or might be adopted. It may eventually reach the point of employing DNA as criminal elements learn ways to adapt to and circumvent the various technological ways of verification.

First of all you can't forget the basics. An authentication mechanism can choose from the following types of authentication factors:

• Something you have (physical device: token, smartcard, mobile - sms, mobile App etc)
• Something you know ( password/pin, secret etc)
• Something you are (biometrics: fingerprint, retina scan etc)

A strong security mechanism however must use a "something you have" factor (i.e. a physical device) and one or more of the others (secret or biometric).

So the strongest factor by a long way is the "something you have". Biometric factors are never going to be a replacement for this. A Biometric factor is more of a convenience to do away with having to enter a password/secret.

"Something you have" factors are in general a pain to use. For a lot of situations if you are connecting from a trusted device the need to enter the "Something you have" factor can be avoided. This is the approach that Google + co are taking with their 2FA mechanism using mobile SMS. You will only be prompted to enter an SMS OneTimePassword if you access your account from a machine that you have not used before. For low value transactions this is perfectly acceptable and is still fairly secure.

My favourite "Something you have" mechanism currently is the one from Duo Security. They have a mobile App that you install on your mobile. To authenticate yourself with that device you just have to press a single button.

Are you also tired of data breaches and stolen logins in this digitally active world? Well, this is where blockchain technology is emerging as a powerful tool for verifying digital identities. The digital identity solutions based on blockchain platforms are empowering users and revolutionizing the way we identify ourselves online. Check below-

1. Decentralized Data- Information isn't stored in one place, making it nearly impossible for hackers to steal entire databases.

2. User Control- With blockchain identities, you hold the keys! You control who accesses your data and what information they see. This empowers you to prevent unauthorized use of your personal details.

3. Unalterable Records- Once added, data cannot be changed, preventing identity manipulation.

4. Enhanced Verification- Digital signatures eliminate the need for third-party verification, reducing the risk of fraudulent activity.

Connecting with a blockchain identity management company like Antier can be a strategic move. It can help you craft a secure solution to stay ahead of the curve and combat identity theft.

Here are a couple of interesting ones that I've seen recently (February 2015):

Heartbeat biometrics
Authentication developed by a Nymi, a Canadian startup, which uses ECG (electrocardiogram) technology to measure the subject's unique heartbeat pattern.

Ref: http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertvamosi/2014/09/26/online-authentication-in-a-heartbeat/

Quantum Authentication
Authentication that "uses the quantum attributes of light to identify a pattern through an exchange of data that cannot be faked"

Ref: http://mobile.extremetech.com/latest/222431-uncrackable-quantum-authentication-uses-photons-to-secure-your-data?origref=https:%2F%2Fwww.google.com.sg%2F

Blockchain technology presents a revolutionary approach to identity management, offering enhanced security, privacy, and efficiency. Here's a comprehensive guide on how blockchain can be leveraged for identity management:

1. Decentralized Identity:

• Blockchain enables the creation of decentralized identities (DIDs). Users have a unique identifier stored on the blockchain, reducing the reliance on centralized authorities and providing more control over personal information.

2. Cryptographic Security:

• Each user's identity is secured through cryptographic keys. Public and private keys ensure a secure and tamper-proof system, making it significantly challenging for unauthorized access or identity theft.

3. Immutability and Tamper Resistance:

• Identity records stored on the blockchain are immutable. Once recorded, the information cannot be altered or deleted, ensuring the integrity of the identity data and minimizing the risk of fraud.

4. Consent-Driven Data Sharing:

• Users have granular control over their identity information. They can selectively share specific details with authorized parties, enhancing privacy and ensuring that personal data is not unnecessarily exposed.

5. Interoperability:

• Blockchain's standardized protocols promote interoperability. Identity information stored on one blockchain can be securely accessed and verified across different platforms, streamlining processes and reducing redundancy.

6. Streamlined Verification Processes:

• Blockchain eliminates the need for intermediaries in identity verification. Smart contracts and consensus mechanisms enable rapid and secure verification, saving time and reducing costs associated with third-party verification services.

Launching Your Own Blockchain-Powered Secured Identity Management Software: If you're considering tapping into the transformative power of blockchain for identity management, the ideal partner for your venture is Blockchain App Factory. Here's why:

1. Expertise in Blockchain Development: Blockchain App Factory boasts a team of seasoned developers with expertise in creating cutting-edge blockchain solutions. Their knowledge ensures the development of a secure and efficient identity management system.
2. Tailored Solutions: Recognizing the unique requirements of businesses, Blockchain App Factory offers customized solutions. Your identity management software will be crafted to align seamlessly with the specific needs of your organization.
3. Proven Success: With a track record of delivering successful blockchain projects, Blockchain App Factory is a reliable and trustworthy choice for developing your blockchain-powered, secured identity management software.

In conclusion, the potential of blockchain technology for identity management is vast, and launching your own blockchain-powered secured identity management software is a strategic move toward a more secure digital future. Trust in Blockchain App Factory to bring your vision to life and revolutionize your identity management processes.

Traditions have changed with technological advancements. It is a trend now to deploy AI-powered biometric identity verification solutions in the firm for customer and employee identity validation.

However, comparing the older and outdated ways of personally/manually checking and verifying every person’s identity documents was time-consuming and had a lot of loopholes. Now, biometrics like fingerprint, facial recognition, and retina & Iris scanning have made identity verification fast, accurate up to 99.99% under different settings, and much more secure.

Previously, Identity spoofing was easy by forging an identity document, wearing a fake mustache, beard, or the use of make up and glasses. Even hats and haircut used to play a role in spoofing the manual identity verification where the super-recognizers also got confused in multiple situations. Another big concern was identical twins and their distinction.

Now, AI and other high-end facial recognition technologies used for identity proofing have resolved these concerns. Yet, these systems are also not 100% perfect as the False Acceptance and False Rejection is always there to some extent.

Cyberthreats have turned out to be a major fear that countries have designated research & development departments that analyze & plan to design technologies and create strategies to bring down the potential threats in cyberspace.

With the increase in social media platform users & sites, the public tends to exhibit the personal information to the digital world, making it highly complicated to secure valuable information.

Use strong passwords

Look for encryption

Install best antivirus

Turn on web browser blacklisting

Avoid Phishing scams

Get private data protection

Password protects your wireless router

Hide your personal information

Enable cookies on your web browser only when necessary

Protect your credit card info

Never let your information easily accessible in any system or network. Stay secure with the updated version of antivirus software online from renowned brands like K7 antivirus software.

Find your privacy price

Facial recognition technology has significantly advanced in recent years, making it a secure and reliable method for identity verification.

By analyzing unique facial features, such as contours and proportions, facial recognition systems can accurately match an individual's face against a database of known identities. However, like any technology, it is not foolproof and can have limitations.

Factors such as lighting conditions, image quality, and the presence of facial accessories may impact accuracy. To ensure optimal security, organizations implementing facial recognition should consider using additional factors, such as liveness detection, to enhance the robustness of the authentication process.