Monthly Archives: January 2023

Spotlight on ADI Association

1. What is the mission and vision of the ADI Association?

The mission of the ADI Association is to create a global digital identity framework for creating, managing, and using digital identity as well as sharing personal information. This system solves some of the most important practical problems attached to the operation and adoption of decentralized identity technology with an accountable governance framework by enabling a business interoperability layer as well as a technological specification.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Establishing an effective model for digital identity is a priority that spans industries. The traditional identity model for the digital world has been an account with a password. Service Providers give each of their customers an account and assume that those accounts can be secured. However, accounts are breached, and data are compromised. Service Providers do not often even know if the person who created the account was legitimate. In the physical world, individuals can prove who they are by presenting formal documents like a driver’s license, passport, or birth certificate. In the digital world, individuals cannot definitively prove who they are, and the malicious can easily masquerade as someone they are not. This gap between physical and digital identity has led to an exponential increase in online fraud as more interactions and financial transactions have gone digital. It has also led to a rapid rise in misinformation and disinformation propagating through online social media.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

In the physical world, identities are created at birth by a trusted group of people. Parents choose names; hospitals record birth events; and governments create birth records, which are then used by individuals to register at schools, employers, banks, medical facilities, and so on. Everything an individual does in life is tied to that identity, and that identity becomes the accountable party. ADI Association has defined a similar concept for the digital world, called the “Digital Address.” The next generation of federated identity standards should support the issuance of a lifetime digital identity that a consumer can use across the digital services of their choice. It should eliminate passwords and protect personal data. The Accountable Digital Identity (ADI) Association is developing an open standard, based on decentralized identity, for bootstrapping individual identities online. The work will give identity providers and relying parties a framework to establish secure exchanges of identity-based services for their consumers, customers, employees, and partners. The ADI Association focuses on standards that enhance the digital consumer experience while improving cyber security at the same time.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

As a current leader, Canada has the opportunity to frame how the future gets shaped by digital identity for both online use cases as well as in the physical world.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

The ADI Association believes that this work cannot be done by a single organization, but will only be realized by concerted efforts to create and promote open standards which can be made available to and adopted by all.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

The ADI Association is a diverse coalition of companies and organizations from around the world who have come together to create an interoperable specification and ecosystem for accountable identity. This level of coordination across industries seamlessly connects a global community of businesses, governments, healthcare providers, and other organizations with customers, people, and patients to modernize the way we manage our online digital interactions.

Schellman Joins the Voilà Verified Trustmark Program

Schellman Joins the Voilà Verified Trustmark Program
Voilà Verified Program Builds Real Trust in Digital Solutions by Spotlighting World-Class Vetted Digital Identity Solutions.

TAMPA, FL, January 11, 2023 – The Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) is pleased to officially welcome Schellman to the Voilà Verified Trustmark Program – the first and only certification program to determine digital identity service compliance with the Pan-Canadian Trust Framework™ (PCTF).

A non-profit coalition of over 115 public and private members, the DIACC develops research and opportunities to enable Canada’s confident, safe, and full participation in a global digital economy.

“One size does not fit all when it comes to identity solutions – but ensuring a solution delivers upon a defined duty of care is critical,” says Joni Brennan, president of the DIACC. “With the PCTF, and now with Voilà Verified, there is an opportunity to adopt a framework rooted in trust – and to earn compliance recognition. Voilà Verified identifies those who are ‘walking the walk’ and delivering safe and secure access to the global digital economy.”

“Schellman’s participation in DIACC’s Voilà Verified Program demonstrates our excitement and commitment to the Crypto and Digital Trust space. This new step will widen our global footprint as we expand all our assessment services in Canada,” says Avani Desai, Chief Executive Officer of Schellman.

The DIACC’s PCTF is a publicly available framework for identity solutions that defines client, customer, and individual duty of care. The Voilà Verified program provides a vetting and assessment opportunity where PCTF-compliant solution vendors can earn a public-facing trustmark. The result? Spotlight visibility of trustworthy, safe, reliable, and efficient solutions.

“Schellman is excited to participate in this landmark accreditation program. We look forward to serving the DIACC community with distinction as we enable Canada’s world-leading efforts towards true digital trust,” said Scott Perry, Principal at Schellman and leader of the firm’s Crypto and Digital Trust Services.

Voilà Verified presents an opportunity to grow provincial-level investments in digital identity solutions. Provincial governments which have launched identity services can now earn a trustmark of their own, and provinces that are on the cusp of entering the digital solution market can do so with confidence by seeking vendors with a Voilà Verified trustmark.

Ruth Puente, Voilà Verified’s Trustmark Verification Program Manager, says a leading component of the program’s development was to ensure its procedures aligned with the International Organization of Standardization (ISO).

“Voilà Verified is inclusive yet diligent in verifying PCTF-compliant solutions. The program was developed in alignment with ISO standards – and empowers informed decision-making in a rapidly growing ecosystem of identity solutions,” said Puente. “Delivering high-quality service, customer protection, and Increasing access to trustworthy solutions are our priorities. We have formed teams of international experts to perform assessments and to oversee the process through an impartial lens.”

Entities responsible for assessing PCTF compliance within the Voilà Verified program are Accredited Assessors, Readiness Advisors, and Testing Laboratories.

The Voilà Verified Trustmark Oversight Board (TOB) will make all final verification decisions based on reports from accredited entities. Made up of third-party volunteers with international expertise in identity management, auditing, compliance, cybersecurity, information security, and law, the TOB is the highest operating body of Voilà Verified. It is subject to impartiality, confidentiality and conflict of interest policies.

Voilà Verified is a unique opportunity in which I am honoured to share my experience as an advisor and auditor within information security, compliance, and identity,” says Björn Sjöholm, Cybersecurity Entrepreneur of Seadot, and TOB Chair.

Vendors are turning to the Voilà Verified program for several reasons, but the leading value proposition is market differentiation. Trustmark holders stand out from competitors by unlocking global business opportunities through international recognition and credibility.

“Voilà Verified puts internationally reputable identity solutions on the map,” says Dave Nikolejsin, the DIACC’s Board Chair. “This is the way forward. With lateral growth of PCTF compliance across sectors – public and private – we establish a common value of trust. Voilà Verified is a monumental stride for Canada to influence a safe and secure global digital economy.”

To learn more about Voilà Verified and access your application package, visit the program overview on the DIACC website or contact voila@diacc.ca.

ABOUT DIACC

DIACC is a growing coalition of public and private sector organizations who are making a significant and sustained effort to ensure Canada’s full, secure, and beneficial participation in the global digital economy. By solving challenges and leveraging opportunities, Canada has the chance to secure at least three percent of unrealized GDP or $100 billion of potential growth by 2030. Seizing this opportunity is a must in a digital society as we work through the COVID pandemic challenges. Learn more about the DIACC mandate.

ABOUT SCHELLMAN

Schellman is a leading global provider of attestation, compliance, and certification services. Operating as an alternative practice structure as Schellman & Company, LLC, a top 100 CPA firm, and Schellman Compliance, LLC, a globally accredited compliance assessment firm, we have expanded beyond our original offering of SOC examinations to now offer clients services as a CPA firm, an ISO Certification Body, a PCI Qualified Security Assessor Company, a HITRUST assessor, a FedRAMP 3PAO, and as one of the first CMMC Authorized C3PAOs.

Renowned for expertise tempered by practical experience, Schellman’s professionals provide superior client service balanced by steadfast independence. Schellman’s approach builds successful, long- term relationships and allows our clients to achieve multiple compliance objectives using a single third- party assessor. For more information, please visit Schellman.com.

CONTACT:

Krista Pawley
Imperative Impact

krista@imperativeimpact.com