February 19, 2025
Reimagining Identity Security for a More Efficient Government
Identity, Credential and Access Management (ICAM) has come to the forefront as government agencies
consider eliminating inefficiencies and optimizing government services. Today, across government
agencies
and operations, outdated, manual processes create bottlenecks, increase costs, and heighten security
vulnerabilities.
Traditional identity-proofing methods have long been a simmering pain point for
government
agencies—and the new administration’s emphasis on increasing efficiency and cutting costs brings
the issue to a boiling point. With mounting pressure to modernize and reduce spending, governments will
need to drive key enhancements to ICAM programs:
- Reduce operational costs associated with traditional identity proofing and
credentialing.
- Improve citizen and employee access to proofing and credentialing services.
- Enhance security measures to protect against rising cyber threats.
- Ensure compliance with evolving NIST, FIPS, and FedRAMP standards.
Historically, raising security levels—from IAL-2 to IAL-3, for example—has also
meant increasing
administrative burden, costs, and demands for users.
But that is no longer the case.
First, let’s explore what operating at IAL-3 means for government agencies—and why it’s vital for
meeting
the efficiency and security goals shaping the future of government operations.
What is IAL-3 and Why Does it Matter?
As agencies respond to recent directives and move toward higher security and efficiency standards,
Identity Assurance Level 3 (IAL-3) provides a key benchmark in identity proofing.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) measures the confidence in identity
verification at three levels:
- IAL-1: Some confidence in identity.
- IAL-2: High confidence in identity.
- IAL-3: Very high confidence in identity.
IAL-3—the highest level of identity assurance as defined by NIST SP 800-63—requires the most stringent
biometric collection, verification, and authentication processes. Achieving IAL-3 assurance means that
every individual, system, or machine involved in a government transaction is verified with the highest
level of trust.
Key requirements for IAL-3 identity proofing include:
- Multi-modal biometrics, such as fingerprint, facial, or iris scans.
- Supervised remote or in-person proofing, ensuring direct oversight of
credentialing.
- Tamper-resistant credential issuance, preventing fraud and unauthorized access.
This level of certainty is now mission-critical for government operations, especially as the increasing
volume and sophistication of cyberattacks raises the pressure to elevate security standards.
Modern Solutions to Drive Efficiency and Cut Costs for Government Agencies
Most government agencies are already looking to modernize their identity security processes to adapt to
the evolving ICAM landscape. But new initiatives bring attention to three critical areas where this
transformation is essential:
- Efficiency & Automation: Governments need to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce
administrative burdens, and provide faster, more intuitive experiences for employees and citizens.
- Security & Compliance: Solutions must align with evolving regulations while
strengthening security and safeguarding against cyber threats.
- Scalability & Cost Reduction: Government leaders need flexible, budget-conscious
solutions that adapt to changing needs.
As agencies work to meet these directives, NextgenID® offers a
future-ready identity proofing framework
that streamlines operations, enhances security, and ensures compliance with IAL-3 standards.
NextgenID’s
solutions are engineered with these priorities in mind, delivering:
- Supervised Remote Identity Proofing (SRIP): The only IAL-3 certified solution
by
the Kantara Initiative, ensuring the highest levels of security and trust.
- Flexible Deployment Models: Supporting both remote and in-person proofing to
improve accessibility and efficiency.
- Nationwide PresenceID™ Network: NextgenID completed Phase 1 of the PresenceID™
Network deployment across USPS locations,
establishing a robust nationwide network in collaboration
with government and private sector partners. This network enhances accessibility and efficiency by
providing government agencies with secure, on-demand identity proofing solutions that meet the
highest
standards of trust and compliance, supported by a broad self-service kiosk infrastructure.
- American-Made, Compliant Technologies: Our American-made, ADA-compliant, and
IAL-3
certified solutions adhere to critical federal standards, including NIST SP 800-63 and FIPS 201-3.
Key Outcomes for Government Agencies
NextgenID has partnered with multiple government agencies to deliver measurable, real-world improvements
in security, cost efficiency, and service levels.
For example, a recent partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reimagined its
onboarding and credentialing processes for new hires and existing employees. Instead of traveling to a
central location and waiting extended periods of time for secure access, HHS employees can now visit a
nearby HHS or a USPS site and quickly manage the onboarding process and issue or reset secure
credentials.
Outcomes for HHS and other agencies include:
- Faster credentialing without long wait times.
- Reduced operational costs while maintaining high security.
- On-demand identity-proofing access for employees and citizens.
- Enhanced employee and citizen satisfaction through a fast, intuitive process.
Let’s Build a More Secure, Efficient Government—Together
The growing emphasis on efficiency and cost reduction adds new urgency for government agencies to
modernize their identity-proofing processes to improve security, efficiency, and accessibility. By
adopting IAL-3-compliant, scalable, and intuitive solutions, agencies can streamline operations and
reduce costs––all while enhancing identity security and enabling more seamless end-user experiences.
As a trusted partner in government identity solutions, NextgenID helps agencies modernize their
identity-proofing structure with fully compliant, accessible and high-assurance solutions.
