By the year 2024, around 1.6 billion devices will be launched with Near Field Communication capabilities. It is now so intuitive that the majority would not even be aware that the technology unlocks their experiences crossing international borders in airports to pay for groceries. Now, identity document verification would be possible via secure and seamless transactions. This article will discuss NFC ID verification in detail.

What is NFC ID Verification?

Near Field Communication or NFC ID verification refers to a technology introduced during the mid-2000s that is widely known as 'contactless.' It involves the use of wireless technology by which data is exchanged among devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, or any other device when they come close to each other (within the range of a few centimeters). It transforms millions of consumers' lives as more smartphones become NFC-enabled. These consumers will be able to conduct transactions without any physical contact. The other major utilities expected from the adoption of NFC would be identification services, from unlocking cars and subscriptions to experience with different brands and hotel check-ins.

Such an RFID chip is mainly embedded in secure identity documents intended for use with a specific passport scanner. At the same time, it can communicate with NFC-enabled mobile devices, making Near Field Communication a good option for identity verification over distance. 

Learn the Concept of NFC Chips in Detecting IDs

Currently, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 140 of the world's countries and non-state entities, such as the European Union and United Nations, feature intelligent, NFC-enabled biometric passports, biometric national identity cards, and the corresponding residence permits with NFC capacity. Documents can, thus, be passed over an airport eGate or tapped with NFC-enabled smartphones, which will capture their data and cryptographically verify it. NFC identity verification is gaining a lot of interest as a mode of document verification synonymous with identity authentication because it is highly secure. The chip holds the same biometric data as on the document, including digital high-resolution versions of the same photograph.

NFC is an abbreviation for Near Field Communication. Hence, parity with a selfie or even a video of the holder further protects it against any substitution by pictures. By reading data securely from the chip, it can be verified with public keys or special anti-cloning features. This guarantees high-quality data, thereby reducing False Acceptance Rates (FAR). 

Process of NFC Identity Verification

The NFC ID verification consists of two phases, which are: 

• Data Collection 

Access to information stored in the document is protected by Basic Access Control (BAC) in passports. Access to the NFC data requires three data points from the machine-readable zone (MRZ) lines at the document's bottom. No further action is required from the user, providing a seamless experience.

Most national ID cards and NFC residence permits use PACE (Password Authenticated Connection Establishment). The technique applies a six-digit code printed on the paper to open the NFC-accessible data. Both methods would bar unauthorized data lifting or filtering from the holder directly and undercover.

• Cryptographic Data Authentication

Passive Validation: It confirms that the data on the chip has not been altered since it was issued via a process of validating each element of the data's signature by the public keys of the issuing country. In turn, these public keys are maintained actively.

Active Validation: Validates the authenticity of the NFC chip itself by generating a dynamic challenge to the validated card.

Benefits of NFC Verification

Among others, it has some advantages such as NFC-based identification verification has:

• Stronger Security

It is inaccessible and secured. Hence, there is no possibility of lying forged documents anytime again. 

• Efficient Data Transfer

The NFC chips do not rely on another system to transfer data. Data transfer is done without any errors. There should be no errors while transmitting pieces of information, such as biometric data, for it is susceptible.  

• Better User Experience 

ID NFC chips are contactless. The user experience is thus significantly improved, and its requirements are less stringent than its outputs. Most people have a smartphone that supports NFC, which makes matters easy.  

Winding Up

NFC is an easy, fast, and secure way of building your business. It's part of an extensive range of authentication tech and worldwide inputs, which can be blended to offer both safe and accurate ID verification. Using NFC ID verification, businesses can digitally scale while fulfilling compliance needs and confidently fighting fraud. Hence, NFC passports should be used to make verifications seamless and effective.