DHS S&T Seeks Solutions for Privacy Preserving Digital Credential Wallets, Verifiers

DHS S&T Seeks Solutions for Privacy Preserving Digital Credential Wallets, Verifiers

  • Jun 29, 2023

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced a new solicitation to create, improve and implement a new set of tools that protect the privacy of individuals when using digital credentials that can be used for a variety of purposes including travel, immigration and citizenship status, employment, residency status and more. The solicitation, called the Privacy Preserving Digital Credential Wallets & Verifiers topic call, is administered by S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) and seeks cutting-edge solutions that can support a privacy-preserving digital credentialing ecosystem for DHS components and offices such as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the DHS Privacy Office (PRIV).

“Preserving the privacy of individuals as they use digital wallets to store their credentials is deeply important in ensuring the secure, confidential nature of their digital interactions in an increasingly interconnected world,” said Melissa Oh, SVIP managing director.

This solicitation builds on the success and global adoption of the open, standards-based digital credentialing solutions developed under SVIP’s previous ‘Preventing Forgery & Counterfeiting of Certificates and Licenses’ topic call. It seeks privacy-preserving components that can be directly integrated into credentialing systems enabled by the World-Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Verifiable Credential Data Model (VCDM) and W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) standards utilized by DHS digital credentialing systems. Applications for the solicitation must focus on at least one of the following technical topic areas:

Digital Wallet: DHS is seeking digital wallets that are useful across contexts and jurisdictions, can support the broad range of credentials possible with World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Verifiable Credential Data Model (VCDM) and W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DID) standards that include verified support for DHS issued credentials, and are portable, highly secure, privacy-preserving, standards-based, interoperable, and multi-functional.

Mobile Verifier: DHS is seeking software-based verifier implementations that can be deployed on mobile devices, including on iOS and Android based devices, that can support the broad range of credentials possible with W3C VCDM/DID standards to include verified support for DHS issued credentials.

“The Privacy Office is proud to partner with our colleagues to identify, develop, and implement privacy enhancing technologies to meet Homeland Security mission needs,” said Mason Clutter, DHS Chief Privacy Officer. “This investment in the building blocks of a privacy protective digital credentialing system further demonstrates the Department’s commitment to privacy and serves as a model for the global community.”

Companies participating in this SVIP Topic Call are eligible for up to $1.7 million of non-dilutive funding over four phases to develop and adapt commercial technologies for homeland security use cases.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.