​Fifty-Two Percent of Europeans are Open to Federated Identification, Finds Unisys Survey

Fifty-one percent would share their biometric data for improved online security; Forty-one percent would share their biometric data for access to multiple online accounts

LONDON, May 2, 2018 – According to a new survey from Unisys Corporation, more than half of Europeans (52 percent) said they are open to adopting federated identification systems to expedite access to online services. Federated identification allows a single electronic identity to be used by citizens across multiple organisations for easy verification and assertion of attributes online. 

Surveying more than 3,500 Europeans across seven countries in Europe, Unisys asked consumers their opinions on federated identity, biometric authentication for access to their online accounts and attitudes on sharing personal data.  

When questioned on the perceived benefits of sharing their biometric data with a federated identity program, 51 percent cited increased security on their accounts; 41 percent highlighted "single sign-on" access to multiple accounts, such as those for government, banking and social media; 33 percent said speedier access to government and banking services; and 28 percent identified reduced cost.  

The survey shows that European citizens have an appetite for federated identity but many would need assurances before signing up and sharing their personal data. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they would demand that organisations explain the security measures they would use to protect their biometric data before sharing it. However, others were more relaxed, with 35 percent saying they would support federated identity if it was backed by companies with which they already have online accounts. And 29 percent say they would share biometric data if their peers signed up to do so. 

Salvatore Sinno, Global Chief Security Architect, Unisys, said, "In the future, centralised ID services are likely to include a mixture of on-device checks and on-server authentication, where personal biometric data is verified by a service provider. That means service providers need to join forces to win the hearts and minds of consumers, explain what security measures they have in place and how they manage personal data. The incoming General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) will bring data security and privacy rights to the top of the consumer agenda, so service providers' security strategies need to be clarified quickly." 

Steps are already being taken in Europe to embed this technology in public services. In the UK, the government's GOV.UK Verify program is up and running to provide the public with digital identity management, and several banks and public sector organisations are signed up to or testing the scheme.  

A recent tender on the UK Government's Digital Marketplace showed that the Government Digital Service is investigating international interoperability of GOV.UK Verify and the potential to enable UK citizens to use their Verify accounts internationally – showing steps are being taken to move toward electronic ID verification across borders.  

Unisys security solutions combine experienced consulting, advanced products and managed services for the entire security lifecycle from prediction and prevention to detection and remediation of risks and advanced threats. They include Unisys Stealth(identity)™ software that provides identity management that balances strong security with an open architecture allowing organisations to quickly and easily implement biometric access control and multi-factor authentication across multiple devices. Stealth(identity) supports everything from simple consumer applications to large-scale citizen identification programs used for border crossings and national identification repositories. 

For more information on end-to-end biometric identity management solutions, visit http://www.unisys.com/biometrics. 

Notes to Editors

Unisys conducted its Biometrics Study in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and Italy to investigate the publics' perceptions of the use of biometrics and sharing their personal biometric data for quicker and easier access to online services. Unisys surveyed more than 3,500 people in Q3 2017.  

About Unisys

Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most digitally demanding businesses and governments on Earth. Unisys offerings include security software and services; digital transformation and workplace services; industry applications and services; and innovative software operating environments for high-intensity enterprise computing. For more information on how Unisys builds better outcomes securely for its clients across the Government, Financial Services and Commercial markets, visit www.unisys.com. 

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