ConnectID digital identity exchange launches

Australian Payments Plus’ (AP+) has officially launched its digital identity exchange, ConnectID with Commonwealth Bank and NAB customers the first cohort able to utilise the service.

ConnectID's managing director Andrew Black
ConnectID

ConnectID is intended to allow people to reuse an existing trusted digital identity - such as with their bank - to verify their identity with a new third-party.

"ConnectID doesn’t see or store personal information, it simply acts as a bridge between an organisation that wants to verify someone’s identity and the organisation providing that verification," AP+ said in a statement.

"This only happens when the customer authorises it."

The capability means consumers can verify their identity to third parties without needing to constantly reshare unnecessary data.

Consumers can ask participating businesses to verify their information rather than requiring proof-of-identity documents through organisations they already trust with their data.

Launch of the service was first announced just over a year ago via a social media post on LinkedIn. 

“What we do is we provide a peer-to-peer network. We basically connect the two trusted endpoints effectively, so that data passes directly from the trusted organisation to the relying party," ConnectID's managing director Andrew Black told iTnews.

ConnectID holds accreditation under the Australian government’s trusted digital identity framework (TDIF) and Black said as part of its security measures ConnectID applies “bank-grade encryption”.

The service is now live at CBA and NAB, with Black adding that work with each bank had been underway "for months and months”.

He said ConnectID has also worked with “Westpac and ANZ, to build the network and build the ecosystem”.

While ANZ has worked with ConnectID, it's still unclear if the bank will formally participate.

In addition to CBA and NAB, other parties launching today include Referoo, Credenxia, ServiceSeeking, OnePassport, RentBetter, Shaype as some of the “relying parties”.

Black said it was” fairly deliberate” to kick off the ConnectID rollout with “something small but also starting with a broad range of capabilities across rental, ecommerce, employee onboarding, and also things like the gig economy and digital marketplaces”.

“For this year, we'll begin with a number of those … then continue to broaden on all sides of the network for the next 12 months," he said.

“That's adding more identity providers, hopefully a few other banking partners as well as other private trusted providers or state government, federal governments, but also then to other use cases as well”.

He said that “in particular, small and medium sized businesses” are “really excited about using this to help customers make it easier to onboard and sign up for things”.

“[It will] also help them reduce the amount of data they have to capture and in particular, that size of an organisation is able to reduce what they have to store or what they have to capture and reduce the risk of a risk profile”.

Black said growing usage and adoption across the next 12 months and “the next couple of years” will now become the focal point.

ConnectID has also been designed to be “easy for businesses to sign up” with no need to “download anything else new to use it”.

“For example, if you're a Commbank customer or an NAB customer, you can just use those mobile apps or use online platforms. It's the same login or password or face ID whatever that typical authentication is used today is something familiar.

“We see this as really important for all aspects and across different economic verticals as well.”

To reach the wider community Black said ConnectID will be “working with the partners we already have today.”

“As part of AP+, that owns eftpos, BPAY, NPP, we have touchpoints with almost every merchant in the country. 

“But as well, our trusted banking partners have a fairly strong presence. They'll be sharing this with their customers.

Both CBA and NAB have launched web pages dedicated to providing customer support in accessing the service.

CBA’s general manager for open data, Katherine Sleeth said the bank “is supportive of ConnectID which will simplify customer identification and authentication needs for both businesses and consumers across the economy.

NAB executive for digital governance, Brad Carr said ConnectID “will make life so much easier for Australians when they are going through a process of validating their identity online, and doing so in a safe way that protects their data and privacy.