Microsoft has recently unveiled the addition of facial matching to its Entra Verified ID service, which is designed to allow organizations to issue verifiable credentials for claims such as employment, education, certifications, and residence. This new feature, called Face Check, is currently available as a free public preview release and is expected to have a commercial release later in the year for commercial use. Face Check utilizes the Azure AI Face API to verify the authenticity of a user’s real-time selfie, which is captured using the Microsoft Authenticator app. This selfie is then matched with an existing trusted identity document, such as an employment ID, driver’s license, or passport, using liveness detection.
The Verified ID service has been developed with a standards-based interop profile in collaboration with IBM, Workday, Ping, and Mattr, facilitating compatibility with various digital wallets. Microsoft states that the Face Check feature is more reliable than self-attestation for accessing sensitive data or authentication to create new accounts, as it verifies that the person authenticating is indeed the rightful owner of the authentication credentials.
While this new feature has been introduced to address the limitations of Azure AD services by enabling the use of credentials beyond the organization, concerns regarding privacy and misuse of facial recognition technology have been raised by some critics. Microsoft, however, has emphasized that neither Microsoft Authenticator, Verified ID, nor the Azure AI services store or retain any data or images. They also claim that the system has a 91% accuracy rate, with a one in a billion chance of a match being an impersonation attack within a 5-minute time window.
It is expected that this addition will offer a privacy-respecting and secure approach to digital identity verification. Despite some concerns, the technology is anticipated to be widely adopted, with the Biometrics Institute’s 2023 Industry Survey finding that 45% of organizations plan to increase their use of facial recognition. While mass adoption may take time and challenges may arise regarding regulatory requirements and licensing costs, industry experts believe this development will enhance cybersecurity and move the industry forward.
The introduction of Face Check to Verified ID is aimed at providing confidence in the credentials users present. Microsoft will soon reveal plans to extend its Face API pattern to verify a broader array of identity attributes, potentially further increasing its potential benefits.
Given the increasing interest in facial recognition and biometric technology, it is anticipated that Microsoft’s approach will have a significant impact on the broader adoption of verified identities and will positively benefit the industry as a whole. With some regulatory challenges to address and details of licensing costs yet to be announced, the full impact of this innovation remains to be seen.