ChilePublic sector2020Chile's Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación
Facial verification for remote Clave Única activation
Chile's Registro Civil withdrew its facial-verification app on launch day after a reported impersonation
Problem
Registro Civil wanted people to activate their Clave Única government-service credentials without visiting an office during coronavirus restrictions. Its mobile app replaced an in-person identity check with facial verification.
Approach
The agency launched the Idemia-developed Registro e Identidad app on March 29, 2020. La Tercera reported that a user obtained an activation code in another person's name using an online photograph and that person's identification number. Registro Civil withdrew the app shortly after launch, acknowledging failures and interruptions. The agency described the removal as temporary and said the developer was working to restore operation with stronger security.
Results
No published figures
Takeaway
The remote activation process accepted the reported impersonation before the agency withdrew it. Replacing the office identity check had exposed access to government services to a weakness in the facial-verification process.
Categories
- Size
- Large enterprise
- Industry
- Public sector
- Business function
- Customer serviceProduction and quality
- Innovation type
- Product and service innovationProcess innovation
- AI technology
- Computer vision
- Adoption
- Vendor solution
- Evidence
- Press reporting
Sources
Source summaries
The report documented the app's launch and withdrawal on the same day. It reproduced Registro Civil's explanation that failures and interruptions required temporary removal while Idemia worked on solutions and stronger security.
The article described the remote authentication goal and reported a user's demonstration of obtaining another person's activation code with an internet photograph and identification number. It covered the withdrawal, the agency's response and concerns raised by the Council for Transparency.
The university's report described the same-day impersonation demonstration and withdrawal. Its interviewed academics explained that the app had replaced an in-person identity check and questioned the transparency of its verification methods.
Full details are in the original sources.
