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Government ID authentication

 

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Enable a method of recipient authentication using government issued documents.

Overview

Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms, Adobe Acrobat Sign's Government ID process empowers companies across the globe with the ability to secure a high-quality authentication of their recipient's identity.  

Government ID is a premium identity authentication method that instructs the recipient to upload the image of a government-issued identity document (driver's license, national ID, passport) and then evaluates that document for authenticity. 

Supported documents include:

  • Global Passport
    • All ICAO-compliant passport books
  • Driver license / National ID / Residence Permits


The service evaluates the document image for authenticity by validating dozens of elements within the document, including:

  • Document structure
  • Biographical data
  • PDF417 barcode (if applicable)
  • Machine-readable zone (if applicable)
  • Security features
  • Photo zone
  • Signature

Availability:

Government ID authentication is available for enterprise ETLA license plans only. VIP license plans don't have access.

Government ID is a premium authentication method that has a per-use charge:

  • Transactions must be purchased through your Adobe sales representative.
  • Transactions are an account-level resource. All groups consume from the same global pool.

Configuration scope:

The feature can be enabled at the account and group levels.

Note:

Biometric comparison: In addition to the document verification, an optional biometric comparison can be enabled upon request. The biometric comparison guides the recipient to take a real-time image (a "selfie") and then evaluates that image relative to the image on the uploaded document. The biometric comparison requires the recipient to respond to on-screen prompts to display "liveness," ensuring previously taken static images are not used.

How it's used

Configuring the Government ID authentication method when composing a new agreement

When Government ID is enabled, the sender can select it from the Authentication drop-down to the right of the recipient's email address.
 

Select the authenticaation method

If Government ID isn't on the list, then Government ID isn't enabled for the group from which the user is sending the agreement, and an admin will have to enable it.

Consumption of premium authentication transactions

Government ID authentication is a premium authentication method that has a per-recipient charge.

  • Government ID transactions must be purchased and installed before the option can be used.
  • Government ID transactions are consumed per recipient configured with the Government ID authentication method.
    • One agreement configured with three recipients, two of which authenticate with Government ID, consumes two authentication transactions.
  • Authentication transactions are deducted from the account total when the agreement is sent to authoring (as a draft agreement) or sent to the first recipient (as an in-progress agreement).
    • Canceling a draft agreement refunds the authentication transactions to the account's total.
    • Canceling an in-progress agreement does not refund any authentication transactions.
    • Changing an existing authentication method to Government ID consumes one license.
    • Changing the authentication method from Government ID does not refund the authentication transaction.
      • Changing the authentication back and forth with Government ID only ever consumes one transaction (for any given recipient).
Government ID Track Usage

Signer Identity Report (SIR)

Acrobat Sign does not retain the identity information gathered during a Government ID authentication by default. However, account-level admins can request to store the identity information in the Acrobat Sign system via the Signer Identity Report (SIR).

The SIR contains data collected during Government ID verification (e.g., signers’ Government ID image, face image, phone number, data extracted from Government ID, etc.).

The SIR:

More information on the SIR can be found here >

Audit Report

The audit report clearly indicates that the recipient's identity was verified with a Government ID authentication:

 

Government ID Audit report event

The reason is explicitly stated if the agreement is canceled due to the recipient's inability to authenticate.

Failed authentication in the audit report

Best Practices and Considerations

  • If second-factor signature authentication isn't required for your internal signatures, consider using the Acrobat Sign Authentication method instead of Government ID to reduce the friction of signing and save on the consumption of the premium authentication transactions.
  • Government ID:
    • Isn't intended for regulated or high-value electronic signature workflows and use cases.
    • Cannot identify all fraudulent or "fake" identification documents.
    • May not replace the need for human review.

Configuration Options

Enable the authentication method under Send Settings

Access to Government ID authentication requires that a contract is in place for an annual volume of recipients. The option isn't visible in the administrator's interface until this is configured on the back end.

Once the purchase of the identity transactions has been entered into the system, admins will find the controls for exposing Government ID authentication on the Send Settings page with the other identity authentication methods.

Enable the method by checking the Government ID authentication box.

  • Once the method is enabled, the admin can set Government ID authentication as the default value for new agreements. The option is not visible until the method is explicitly enabled:
Government ID authentication controls

Optional "Selfie" biometric comparison

Customers who would like to include the biometric comparison between the identity document and a real-time selfie of the recipient can contact the support team to have the feature enabled.

Automatic agreement cancellation when a recipient fails to authenticate

The Government ID service is configured to allow up to four consecutive failed attempts to authenticate the recipient's identity. After the fifth failure, the agreement is automatically canceled in the system, and the agreement owner is notified of the agreement being canceled due to an authentication failure.

The option to configure this threshold is not in the customer-facing interface. Account admins can request that the cancellation threshold be adjusted to another value through the support team.

Failed authentication

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