Linking Physical and Mobile Documents

Mobile identification has been gaining steam and COVID-19 has served to further heighten the need for contactless proof of identity. Mobile driving licences will provide significant convenience for individuals that prefer to store their identity on their smart phones.

Yet, while the allure of mobile is attractive to some, we argue that it remains critical for governments to recognise the potential threats to this technology and address these threats up front to maintain the security of individual identities.

Of primary concern is the recognition that no digital system is immune to cyber-attacks from individuals, organised crime, and government-sponsored agencies. These attacks could be real or in the era of fake news simply perceptual, but the end effect is an erosion of trust.

With the threat of such attacks, we believe mobile identity should remain a complement to physical identity – not a replacement.

Mobile identity may indeed provide a level of convenience. However, aside from the given security concerns, a significant portion of the population does not have the right mobile device technology or are resistant to using them for identity purposes.

The combination of a digital identity stored on a mobile platform and a secure physical identity document will result in a resilient, sustainable, convenient, and secure ID system.

Governments must remain vigilant in specifying that their physical identity and travel documents be highly secure, as in many cases the physical document will be used as the root-of-trust prior to issuing a digital credential. Where possible, the mobile credential and the physical document should be self-referential – each helping to authenticate the other – while providing a forensically identifiable linkage between physical and mobile identity.