The technology company Cybernetica has completed a significant milestone in the development of the Estonian digital identity wallet — in mid-June, Cybernetica handed over the minimum viable product (MVP) of the digital identity wallet solution to the Estonian Information System Authority (RIA).
The MVP allows documents such as the ID-card and driver’s license to be used using a smartphone. This is a preparation for the EU-wide digital cloud solution, which will come into use by 2026, the company said.
The MVP delivered has several key functionalities implemented to replace physical means of identity proof, such as presenting proof of ID or driver’s license; personal identification data can be issued directly to the wallet app without the need for a physical ID-card; selective sharing of attributes, for example, specific data needed for each use-case, like one’s name or document ID, without the need to disclose the entire document’s data and thus, enhancing privacy.
“While Estonia has set the gold-standard for secure and user-friendly electronic authentication and digital signatures, the Estonian Wallet MVP is the first step towards the next generation e-ID. It will enable a new electronic authentication framework, with stronger privacy guarantees and the introduction of new document types enabling a much broader range of e-ID use-cases,” Oliver Väärtnõu, CEO of Cybernetica, said.
The development of the Estonian digital identity wallet MVP solution is organized by the Estonian Information System Authority (RIA). The work done in Estonia under the four-year framework contract signed with Cybernetica in 2022 has been aimed at achieving the set deadline, but also at pursuing innovation and setting a path in Europe. The development of the Estonian e-ID Wallet began with an analysis in late 2023, with the actual app production starting in January 2024. For Cybernetica, the initial works on the wallet topic have been ongoing since early 2022, with most notable works being the wallets’ market study in collaboration with ENISA, preparations for wallet development with SK ID Solutions in the SmartWallet project, and certificate as a platform research with RIA.
On the March 26, 2024, the European Council adopted the eIDAS 2 regulation, which will make cross-border e-ID in Europe a reality. By 2026, each member state must make a digital identity wallet available to its citizens and accept EUDIWs from other member states.
“The Wallet MVP project is a prime example of successful cooperation between the ICT sector and government, resulting in an innovative solution that integrates Estonian digital public services with the new eIDAS framework. It has been a pleasure to work with a partner like Cybernetica who shares our vision for a secure and efficient e-ID ecosystem. This project not only meets regulatory requirements but also sets a new standard in privacy and functionality for our citizens, paving the way for future advancements in digital identity,” Riho Kurg, e-ID architect at RIA, said.
“eIDAS2.0, and the development of wallets in the EU, gives Estonia another opportunity to demonstrate its leadership in the field of digital identity. Most countries, inside and outside of the EU, know the e-Estonia story in our industry, and many are looking to see what Estonia does next,” Michael Buckland, head of digital identity technologies at Cybernetica, said.
Source: BNS
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