Introduction

Face verification is imperative for validating a user’s identity in the authentication process – especially in remote environments. 

  • As identity theft, AI deepfake attacks, and the equity of biometrics are now top priorities, providers have a paramount responsibility to ensure the accuracy and security of their face verification technology.
  • While offering advantages for user authentication, face verification technology must be carefully managed to minimize risks to security, compliance, and potential for bias. 
  • Organizations need tested and proven “selfie-match” tools that ensure a user’s “selfie” can be accurately matched to a trusted government-issued document, like a driver’s license or passport. 

In remote and hybrid ecosystems, face verification requirements should be carefully maintained to minimize security risks, provide ease of use, assure equity, and support compliance readiness.

Verify Users with FIDO Face Verification Certification

To combat threats like identity theft and social engineering, technologies that use face biometrics for identity verification are becoming the preferred mechanism to verify users. At the same time, stakeholders are questioning how accessible and equitable face biometrics are today.

To overcome these concerns, technology providers can build trust with governments, implementers, and consumers with the Face Verification Certification from The FIDO Alliance.

Solution providers who invest in this certification can achieve better outcomes for their stakeholders in a multitude of ways:

  • Certify “selfie match” technology accurately matches the user’s “selfie” to their government-issued ID used in the identity verification process.
  • Assure face verification meets privacy, security, and ease of use requirements.
  • Prevent targeted attacks, such as identity spoofing, deepfakes and spear phishing.
  • Address emerging requirements for equity and bias testing.

Test for Threats to Face Verification

The Face Verification Certification includes testing for the most common threats that pose risks to the identity verification process when using face biometrics for authentication:

  • Deepfakes
  • Facial Liveness
  • Bias
  • Biometric Matching
  • Injection Attacks

Why Providers Choose Face Verification Certification

FIDO’s in-depth certification methodologies provide quality and security assurance for end users, consumers, and third-party providers to ensure face verification is managed for the highest levels of security and usability. 

  • Risk Management for Security, Accuracy, and Interoperability: Similar to the Document Authenticity Certification Program, the Face Verification Certification demonstrates providers can accurately verify their users’ identities to defend against emerging threats, including identity theft and deepfake attacks. Face verification can then be used in account creation, FIDO authentication, account recovery, and password resets.
  • Assess Equity, Test for Bias, and Assure Liveness: By certifying face biometric systems, technology providers can evaluate accuracy and mitigate bias, ensuring AI systems work well for all.  FIDO Face Verification is the first international certification program to assess equity, test bias levels, and measure biometrics across different demographics, including skin tones, age and gender. Its liveness assurance tests build confidence that end users are genuine and present in real-time – and not deepfakes, spoofs, or threat actors.
  • Validate Outcomes through the Certification Process: Both identity validation certifications utilize FIDO Accredited Laboratories to test and evaluate mobile document and face verification solutions. Certified providers can demonstrate to customers, prospects, and auditors their solutions have undergone independent testing and security validation to meet FIDO’s performance criteria and are ready for applicable commercial and government use cases. 

Benefits of FIDO Face Verification Certification

The FIDO Alliance Face Verification certification is a globally recognized certification that assures “selfie match” tools used for face verification meet the highest standards for security, interoperability, and user privacy, while accurately matching a user’s government-issued ID. Third-party providers can take this recognized pathway to validate their solutions to win customers and assure stakeholders by rigorously testing with the industry’s only document authentication certification program.

The benefits of certification offer providers the ability to meet a wide range of goals, from revenue generation to security validation to equity and bias testing.

  • Test and certify “selfie match” tools used for face verification in remote identity verification products using The FIDO Alliance’s framework based on ISO and industry standards and certified by accredited independent laboratories.
  • Achieve recognition and win customers with certified face verification by The FIDO Alliance – the industry’s only certification for face verification.
  • Strengthen core vulnerability points across the authentication process, and maximize the success of remote identity verification with the human face. Provide even greater end-to-end support to the ecosystem.

Upon completion, certified providers can publicly list their offering in FIDO’s Certified Products database, access FIDO trademarked logos for sales and marketing use (subject to agreement), and demonstrate certification status with a FIDO-issued certificate.

Ready to begin Face Verification Certification?

Curious to learn the difference between FIDO Biometric Component Certification and Face Verification Certification? We have the FAQ for you.