DHS awards funds to improve identity verification during cross-border travel

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has awarded $198,407 to iProov Ltd. to help the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) streamline cross-border travel at ports of entry while still ensuring a high degree of confidence when verifying the identities of travellers.

Officials said the funding allotment to the London, England-based firm serves as a phase four allocation, noting iProove, Ltd. would test and pilot its solution developed over the first three Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) project phases in a full-scale CBP operational environment.

“A critical challenge when delivering digital services that require some manner of identity verification is the need to ensure that the entity being verified is a real live human and not a replica or a recording,” Anil John, SVIP technical director, said. “The pandemic has accelerated the need for high-value remote digital service delivery, and iProov has now adapted its technology to provide their anti-spoofing solution to a broad range of applications.”

The first three SVIP phases resulted in iProove, Ltd. successfully developing an integrated solution to enable travelers to quickly transit remote border ports using their personal devices to report their entry and exit to CBP, officials said, without requiring the direct engagement of a CBP officer in person or online ― with a secure, privacy focused mobile application.

Authorities indicated the company’s Flashmark technology captures user imagery and detects spoofs – in the form of replica copies, doctored imagery, and replayed recordings – with a high degree of accuracy without relying on special or trusted hardware.