With the number of identity thefts on the rise, the General Services Administration (GSA) is looking to make identity proofing simple and easy for citizens when they access Federal government services online.
Babur Kohy, acting director of GSA’s Identity Assurance and Trusted Access Division within the Office of Technology Policy, explained today that Federal employees or contractors have to go through a vetting process before they are handed a PIV card to access government systems. However, he said the same cannot apply to the average citizen.
“We cannot do the same for our citizens. It has to be much simpler,” Kohy said on May 29 during a virtual event hosted by Nextgov/FCW. “Not everyone is working for the government. They’re trying to just get their benefit.”
Kohy explained that his office looks at identity in three different categories: law enforcement, enterprise workforce, and public identity. Public identity, he said, is “one of the more complex areas.”
“Of course, there are services that are doing a good enough job, but not great,” Kohy said, adding, “So, some of the things that my team has done recently, within the past six months, our contribution, if I may – bragging rights, brownie points, whatever you want to call it – [was] to create a Public Identity Best Practices Guide.”
He said the Public Identity Best Practices Guide is not “authoritative” as it’s still in draft form. However, his office recently made the draft guide available to the public on IDManagement.gov under the “Experiments” tab.
The guide breaks down identity proofing scenarios, identity proofing challenges, as well as identity proofing assurance levels and methods.
It explains that identity proofing is a “multifaceted process” that combines various methods – including document verification, biometric authentication, and behavioral analysis – to confirm someone’s identity.
“I think we need to do more … to really align ourselves with today’s technological advances and all the capabilities that exist. It can be complex. On the citizen side of it, even more complex,” Kohy said.
“Maybe business as usual is not it,” he said, adding, “So, what can we do as the community to bring the best and the brightest and take the best parts of different processes, different opinions, to make that happen.”