Securing the Future: Navigating Security in a World of Digital Identity

Digital identity is changing how the world functions, bringing capabilities such as improved efficiency, accessibility, and security in public and private services. These advancements are why the U.S. government and nations worldwide are actively pursuing this shift. In the last “Merit Minutes,” we spoke with Trevor Cornwell, who illuminated the current barriers to integrating digital identity systems within government operations and how we can work to overcome them.

To deepen the conversation around this essential topic, we sat down with Steve Orrin, Chief Technology Officer at Intel Federal. Steve brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective to this topic with over 20 years of pioneering work in cybersecurity, identity management, and secure technology infrastructure for agencies like the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. 

Read on to discover Steve’s insights on digital identity, zero trust, enhancing fraud prevention, and the critical role of AI. 

Q1: How can digital identity truly capture the full complexity of who we are—beyond just the information found on a driver’s license?

Steve: “Each of us is a complex individual. We have various attributes that makeup who we are—our age, our sex, our role, who we work for, where we live, and our activities. Those are all attributes that come together to inform our identity and also the persona. Right now, I'm working, so I’m in my role as a Federal CTO, that persona. If I’m doing something personal, I’m in a different persona and may require different attributes to access the activities and transactions I want to do on a personal level. If I’m a member of an organization, say a diving club, and I want to assert my persona there, a different set of attributes would align to that role, that persona. Our identity is the culmination of all those personas.”

Q2: Security is a point of concern for many legislators when it comes to implementing digital identity. As the world transitions to one that embraces digital identity, what measures will help securing this innovation?

Steve: “Zero trust is becoming a key approach [to digital identity], and at its core, it limits what an identity can do at any given moment. Traditionally, once you were authenticated, you had broad access to do anything permitted by your credentials. Zero trust shifts that model by requiring revalidation for each new transaction. For example, if you sign into your bank account, you might need to re-authenticate to transfer money or switch to a mortgage system. These controls and separations limit identity theft risk, ensuring one compromised credential doesn’t lead to widespread fraud. These measures won’t create delays; rather, they’ll streamline processes, adding the trust and validation essential for advancing digital identity securely. ”

Q3: AI is being adopted across all industries—not just by governments—to streamline processes and reduce workloads. How can AI be further leveraged when it comes to digital identity or even fraud prevention?

Steve: “There are a couple of ways to leverage AI in digital identity. One critical method is the application of AI and machine learning to enhance digital identities beyond just the credentials themselves. This approach enables organizations to understand individual behaviors better, correlating data to reduce risk. For instance, in the banking industry, AI quickly detects when spending falls outside typical patterns, flagging potential fraud. This same approach can be used across industries, enabling real-time fraud detection instead of catching issues months later.

While it may lack the flashiness of other emerging technologies, the impact of AI here is substantial, reducing fraud and improving risk management. Every time fraud occurs, organizations face the burden of recovery and credential reissuance, which can be complex and resource-intensive. By identifying fraud earlier in the cycle—getting, as they say, ‘left of boom’ in the risk chain—we can save organizations money and reduce the burden on individuals accessing their systems.

Applying AI to enrich credentials, assess the context of each transaction, and evaluate associated risks is an area just beginning to be fully leveraged. As digital identities become more integrated into our daily lives, AI-driven insights will continue enhancing security and efficiency.”

Q4: As we work toward a more integrated digital identity, what challenges do you see regarding legacy policies and infrastructure within the public sector, and how can we overcome them?

Steve: “That’s the billion-dollar question. Many public sector organizations face legacy policies and infrastructure that hinder the advancement of digital identity systems. This trickle-down effect means that as Federal modernization occurs, states are slower, and local communities lag even further behind.

One effective approach is leveraging Federal legislation or mandates, which can allow states to implement digital identity changes that align with their goals. We’ve seen this in homeland security initiatives, where federal policies support the secure management of digital identities and citizen services without violating state constitutions or legacy laws.

Additionally, some government agencies and states are adopting innovative methods. Terms like ‘rapid capabilities offices’ in the military illustrate how organizations can create innovation groups to act quickly. For example, California has these groups at city and state levels, recognizing that they must deliver digital identity solutions without waiting for slow legislative updates.”

Steve clarified digital identity's critical role in public and private sectors. He highlighted the path forward, from understanding the true complexity of identity to implementing security measures and using AI for faster fraud prevention. There’s still work to be done to overcome legacy policies and infrastructure. As digital identity becomes part of our daily lives, combining modernized policies, advanced technologies, and AI-leveraged security will be vital in creating secure, efficient systems that serve the people.