GovTech extends NDI with face verification solution from iProov & Toppan Ecquaria

By Edil Corneille

iProov and Toppan Ecquaria have implemented the facial verification solution for the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) under the National Digital Identity (NDI) programme. Digital government services will be accessible to 4 million Singaporeans online.

The system automatically enables SingPass users to authenticate themselves and prove that they are genuinely present when accessing online government services on computers or at kiosks. Activities such as completing a tax return can now be completed with a simple facial biometric scan, replacing the need to remember passwords.

Quek Sin Kwok, Senior Director of National Digital Identity at GovTech Singapore said, “Singapore’s national digital identity, SingPass, enables citizens and permanent residents to transact seamlessly and securely with public and private sectors’ digital services. We recently introduced a new biometrics face verification service for users to log in more conveniently to digital services, whilst providing an added layer of security for government agencies and businesses. SingPass Face Verification, under our National Digital Identity (NDI) programme, will help partners enhance their customer service journeys…”

SingPass is every Singapore resident’s digital identity and has evolved into a gateway allowing convenient and secure access to over 500 digital services offered by more than 180 government agencies and commercial entities.

The cloud facial verification provided by iProov is used to secure national digital identity. Ecquaria Integration Centre enables secure integration between businesses and government agencies with the facial biometric authentication.

iProov’s Genuine Presence Assurance technology uses a facial biometric scan that is said to be highly secure and effortless to use. The camera on the mobile device, computer or kiosk illuminates the user’s face with a cryptographic sequence of colours for a few seconds.

The solution of iProov facial biometric authentication and Ecquaria Government Platform Suite will augment and replace a device-based security solution, which uses SMS one-time passcodes.

Andrew Bud, Founder and CEO at iProov said; “This pioneering service enables citizens to live in a world of trust online. By iProoving themselves, the people of Singapore can have even greater confidence in their safety, privacy and security on the internet.”

“This marks a tipping point for facial verification. The technology has advanced so much in recent years that it can now provide the highest levels of reliable security for the authentication of a national digital identity program. It has been a privilege to work on this forward-thinking project with real trailblazers in national digital identity. The rest of the world will study this innovation and draw conclusions from its success.”

Dr. Foong Wai Keong, Managing Director of Toppan Ecquaria said, “Allowing businesses to tap into the government-built digital identity infrastructure significantly reduces time and costs. And doing so using facial verification and on the cloud – that is revolutionary.

“And as the world increasingly transacts online, cloud-native solutions are becoming the norm even in the public sector. Building a cloud-native ecosystem that securely and seamlessly integrates and benefits the government, businesses and citizens alike has always been the heart of Toppan Ecquaria. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Smart Nation initiative of the Singapore Government.”