I’d like to explain to you what identity proofing is. I’m a security and identity theft analyst, having been involved in this field for over 20 years. Identity proofing is an area that I am always pointing out to people, because it is so important.
So what exactly is identity proofing?
Identity proofing is that of presenting proof that a person is whom he or she says they are. The process starts with getting answers to personal questions, such as the name of a junior high school teacher or the name of the street(s) that the person grew up on-answers only they would know.
This technique, however, is not airtight, especially since so much personal information is splashed around in cyberspace.
The next phase in identity proofing is documentation such as a mortgage statement or copy of an electric or cable TV bill. Combine these documents with answers to personal questions, and you have a stronger case for proof.
Go one step further with identity authentication by using biometric measures like iris scans or fingerprints.
It doesn’t end there, though. Another proofing technique is identity scoring. This employs tagging and verifying the validity of someone’s public identity. Identity scoring is effective at verifying correct public records and in preventing business scams.
Identity scores encompass the gamut of identifiable elements such as public and government records, personal identifiers, corporate data, Internet data, credit records and predicted and self-assessed behavior patterns.
Everyone has unique characteristics that can be used for authentication: the positive ID – possible only with a biometric. A biometric can be dynamic (behavioral) or static (anatomical, physiological).
- Dynamic: distinct gait, keyboard movement, voice, sitting posture
- Static: fingerprint, facial, iris, DNA
When one’s identity cannot be conclusively determined, verification is used. To validate an asserted identity, people rely upon technologies that provide real time assessment.
The objective is to get as close as possible to identity verification. The following are used for this type of verification: passwords, PINS, IP addresses, cards, tokens, data based on behavioral trends, etc. These features typically involve arenas that you possess or have knowledge of.
In this age and day of cybercrime, it’s important to take advantage of identity proofing.
Sources:
IDTheftSecurity.com
https://annualcreditreport.experian.com/assets/government/white-papers/identity-proofing.pdf
