Apple’s just-published iOS 12 security guide has revealed a new feature which will see owners of the latest iPhones able to conduct some NFC transactions even when the device has all but shut down because the battery needs to be charged... More
Clear partners with Seattle Seahawks, Sounders FC, & Mariners to launch biometrics payment & ID check initiative — Clear — “With approval from the State of Washington to replace a traditional ID check with biometric powered age validation, Clear members at CenturyLink Field and Safeco Field can buy food and drinks, and simultaneously prove that they are of legal age for alcohol purchases — all with just their fingerprints.”
Document importation into secure element — USPTO — “The present disclosure describes embodiments in which a person may present identification information through a mobile device instead of presenting a traditional form of identification… In various embodiments, a mobile device includes a short-range communication interface (eg, a near-field communication (NFC) radio) and a secure element configured to store identification information of a user.”
Drone delivery ready to take off in the UK — Worldpay — “Worldpay’s Drone Pay proof-of-concept uses EMV contactless payment card technology to verify the identity of the recipient, ensuring a parcel is delivered to the right person at the right address. This technology is embedded into a drone landing pad, which is issued to the customer in the form of a doormat. When the drone lands to drop off the package, the card details stored within the doormat are read automatically. If the information matches that of the correct recipient, the parcel is released.”
E-commerce giant Alibaba has invested in NFC and RFID specialist Smartrac Technology Group and taken a seat on the company’s board... More
Peking University installs facial recognition system for students and staff on campus gate — South China Morning Post — “Anyone going through the southwestern gate of prestigious Peking University can now have their face scanned by a camera instead of showing their ID card to security guards under a trial run of the system that started on Wednesday… It is not the university’s first use of the technology on campus — it has already installed about two dozen facial recognition devices outside some of its libraries, classrooms, student dormitories, gymnasiums and computer centres.”
Canadian mobile digital identity service to launch this fall — IT World Canada — “A long-awaited Canadian mobile digital identity validation service supported by Canada’s biggest banks and telcos will launch this fall… Called Verified.Me, the service installs an app on a mobile device that confirms a user’s identity, allowing businesses and governments to immediately do transactions without demanding proof of identity.”
KNOWLEDGE CENTRE: Biometric sensor-on-card solutions, where a fingerprint sensor is built into a standard EMV card, “represent an important step forward for the finance industry, opening the way to eliminating fraud for issuers and cardholders, reducing costs and providing the additional security and identity verification required to support remote or cross-border transactions,” the authors of a new white paper conclude... More
Better biometrics in Android P — Google — “Starting in Android P, developers can use the BiometricPrompt API to integrate biometric authentication into their apps in a device and biometric agnostic way… A support library is also provided for devices running Android O and earlier, allowing applications to utilize the advantages of this API across more devices.”
The Niuron banking consortium will develop a platform to verify the digital identity of clients — Europa Press (translation) — “For banks, the benefits of this platform translate into an increase in speed, cost savings, reduction of fraud, reduction of operational risk and improvement of the prevention of money laundering. The client, on the other hand, decreases the time necessary during a registration process and has control and sovereignty over their personal data, thus improving their experience.”
Assa Abloy helps enable contactless student IDs in Apple Wallet — HID Global — PARTNER NEWS — “Assa Abloy, the global leader in door opening solutions, today announced the company is working to support mobile access capabilities for student IDs with Apple Wallet… Assa Abloy’s reader technology, combined with embedded HID technology in Assa Abloy locks, will be part of a broader technology solution that unlocks the possibilities for mobile student IDs on university campuses.”
Blackboard bringing contactless student IDs to Apple Wallet for campuses nationwide — Blackboard — “With Blackboard Mobile Credentials, student credentials in Apple Wallet offer secure access to facilities, residence halls and more, as well as payments for dining, laundry, vending and retail… The ability to add student IDs to Wallet will launch with Duke University, the University of Alabama, and the University of Oklahoma this fall. Johns Hopkins University, Santa Clara University and Temple University will bring the capability by end of year and it will expand to additional campuses in the future.”
Banks plan blockchain ID system — Korea JoongAng Daily — “According to the Korea Federation of Banks (KFB), which represents major commercial banks in Korea, ‘BankSign’, a blockchain-based identity verification program, will officially be launched in July… ‘While BankSign will start off by providing the service in the banking sector, we will work with the government and other public organizations to expand its usage,’ said the KFB spokesperson.”
Students at six US universities will be able to use their iPhone or Apple Watch to replace their student ID card from later this year, Apple has announced at its Worldwide Developers Conference. More
Apple is set to announce that iOS 12 will include “a significant change” to the iPhone’s NFC capabilities that “could pave the way for people to use iPhones for other security-sensitive interactions, from paying transit fares and opening car doors to verifying their identity in other ways”, according to a report in The Information... More
Marshall Islands to issue own sovereign cryptocurrency — Reuters — “The Marshall Islands will issue its own cryptocurrency that will be circulated as legal tender along with the US dollar… SOV is based on what the Marshall Islands government calls the ‘Yakwe framework’, which requires users to identify themselves on the blockchain, solving the anonymity problem that has plagued bitcoin and precluded its mainstream adoption.”
National Bank of Kuwait and Mastercard make GCC debut of pioneering biometric solutions — Zawya — “NBK customers will be the first in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to experience Mastercard’s Identity Check online authentication solution, while a pilot program for an innovative biometric card with an embedded fingerprint sensor will be a first for the GCC.”
PARTNER NEWS: A presentation that sets out the potential of the Okey — a standalone, multifunction NFC keyfob that can store multiple contactless payment, transit, loyalty and identity cards — is now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More
Biometric ATMs extend banking services — IT-Online — “The TouchPoint validates a customer’s identity by scanning a fingerprint placed on the biometric reader and it can detect false fingerprints to prevent fraud. The identity of the customer is then verified with the Department of Home Affairs to ensure the self-service account opening complies with the relevant laws.”
China to launch e-ID cards for citizens via phone QR codes — Asia Times — “China requires its citizens to produce ID cards for verification when checking in at a hotel, boarding a train or plane or accessing government services. Now with the e-ID card, a user can just tap an Alipay app to show their QR code for similar verification, while leaving their wallet or physical card at home.”