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Kantara Initiative Announces a Joint Identity Access Management Research Project for Emergency First RespondersKantara Initiative, which provides strategic vision and real-world innovation elements for the digital identity transformation, today announced a joint identity access management research project to develop smartphone technology enabling emergency first responders' identities and credentials to be instantly and safely verified onsite. The project is called Mobile Device and Attribute Validation (MDAV) and is a joint effort of Kantara and the Command, Control and Interoperability Center for Advanced Data Analysis (CCICADA). CCICADA is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security University Center of Excellence that uses advanced data analysis and systems to address natural and manmade threats to the safety and security of the American people. The MDAV project is the first effort of its kind and aims to speed disaster response efforts resulting in the potential to save more lives and property. ?Emergency responders can lose valuable time verifying their credentials using badges and other forms of identification when arriving and checking in at the site of a natural or manmade disaster,? said Dr. Fred Roberts, director, CCICADA. ?MDAV will save valuable time - and possibly lives - by enabling a first responder's smartphone to send encrypted information about their credentials to a smartphone used by local authorities managing the response operation. Instant verification of credentials will get first responders on the job faster.? The identity access management system includes software that allows local authorities to access a certificate authority database containing certificate information supplied by agencies sending emergency responders to a disaster site. Responders' smartphones will hold their credentials or attributes. Once securely verified, local authorities would be assured of who was onsite and their expertise. Today, first responders present their badges or other forms of ID to check-in with local authorities in a disaster situation. This is a time-consuming process and doesn't truly verify who the individual is, the agency represented or the first respoder's expertise. "Time is of the essence in emergency situations and that means getting the right resources to the right place quickly and efficiently," said Colin Wallis, executive director, Kantara Initiative. "The MDAV project aims to harness the functionality of the common smartphone combined with advanced cryptography to transform smartphones into secure identification validation devices. It is a vivid example of how Kantara is working to build trusted and secure identity ecosystems." The MDAV project is expected to be rolled out in three phases beginning with the development of a concept paper and technology design. Next, a government agency or private company will beta test the technology. Finally, the software will be field tested. It is estimated this project will be completed by the end of next year. Lockstep Technologies will be the primary developer of the MDAV technology. About CCICADA CCICADA -- The Command, Control and Interoperability Center for Advanced Data Analysis -- is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security University Center of Excellence that uses advanced data analysis and systems to address natural and manmade threats to the safety and security of the American people. CCICADA's work is carried out by researchers and students with 17 partner institutions. The lead university in the partnership is Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. CCICADA's director is Dr. Fred Roberts, Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers. About Kantara Initiative Kantara Initiative, Inc. provides strategic vision and real world innovation elements for the digital identity transformation. Developing initiatives including Identity Relationship Management, User Managed Access (EIC Award Winner for Innovation in Information Security 2014), Identities of Things, and Minimum Viable Consent Receipt, Kantara Initiative connects a global, open, and transparent leadership community, including CA Technologies (News - Alert), Experian, ForgeRock, IEEE-SA, Internet Society, Nomura Research Institute, Radiant Logic and SecureKey. More information is available at https://kantarainitiative.org/. Follow Kantara Initiative on Twitter -- @KantaraNews
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