Michigan Pilot Program Uses Multifactor Authentication To Fight Online Services Fraud
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
Michigan’s Department of Human Services announced the partnership with LexisNexis to create an online identity authentication portal for MI Bridges, an integrated eligibility system that supports online enrollment and registration for citizens seeking government services. The pilot, launched in December, is one of two to receive funding from the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) National Program Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
According to NIST, “The program will aim to help eliminate barriers citizens face in accessing benefits and services by streamlining the applications process, while also reducing fraud and improper payments.” Currently, all applicants must appear in person to verify identities, a costly and burdensome process that often results in delayed benefits.
The pilot project is also designed with a multifactor-authentication solution as a means of protecting private information. First, verification is done based on head-of-household details provided by the client. Then, the process includes Knowledge Based Authentication (KBA), via a questionnaire.
“We must be ever vigilant when it comes to fighting fraud and that means staying ahead of those trying to beat the system,” Maura Corrigan, DHS director, says in a press release.
Skeptics argue, however, that this could be the beginning of a “true driver’s license for the Internet,” that could be used to track or discriminate against users, according to Government Technology.
The results of the pilot will also be a portent of things to come. Project Manager Cathy Fitch told Government Technology, “Our hope is that once we have worked out some of the bugs, that we will be able to continue on with this functionality and that it will also inform the larger enterprise identity management for the state of Michigan and also inform those processes for other states.”
Monty Faidley, LexisNexis senior solution architect for health and human services, told Government Technology, “The best measurement of the success of the tools, especially in this context, is probably the work we’ve done with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). They’re showing some significant ROI.” According to LexisNexis figures, their identity analytics systems has saved the state of Florida more than $36 million.
The Michigan pilot will run through the end of fiscal 2015.