igovt logon service

The igovt logon service (formerly GLS) is an all-of-government shared service.  It allows people and businesses to use the same logon to access government online services.  It is like having a unique 'key' that opens many government service doors.  However, a user can still have the choice of using different 'keys' for different services.

The igovt logon service consists of:

• the core logon service (common logon website, logon management, secure messaging service) supported by a managed infrastructure,
• two logon strengths – over time we will add more,
• customer support (to government agencies and service users) through freephone and email,
• integration support.

The igovt logon service provides ongoing confirmation of identity as part of the igovt suite of services. igovt means that your government agency can offer more personalised online services involving more valuable transactions because you can have confidence in the identity of who you are dealing with.

Features of the igovt logon service

• Always available - 24 hours a day, seven days a week service.
• Opt in - provides your agency's users with the convenience of using the same logon to access online services across government.  They are still able to choose to use different igovt logons if they wish.
• Scale - different logon levels to suit your agency's current and future requirements.
• Flexible - we can accommodate your agency's individual business processes and brand.
• Secure - rapid response to changing security and risk management requirements.  We provide a number of safeguards to protect the igovt logon service, its data, and its users.
• Privacy protective - world leading privacy protective design.
• Standards compliant - automatic adoption and implementation of the relevant standards relating to logon management.

Benefits of the igovt logon service

• Reduces costs of logon management to government agencies.
• Reduces security threats facing government agencies in using the online channel.
• Frees your agency from being involved in logon management and continuously investing in ever changing logon technologies.
• Provides benefits of scale, expertise, and adoption of best practices.
• Provides convenience and time savings for your agency's users.
• Reduces the need for phone or email support through extensive online self-service tools.
• Gives inherent compliance with NZ e-GIF Identity Management and Authentication Standards.
• Avoids duplication of identity management systems.
• Gives your agency affordable access to high-quality authentication methods.
• Is a step towards achieving the 2010 Networked State Services Development Goal and the E-government Strategy.
  

Cabinet Direction

All Public Service departments, the New Zealand Police, the New Zealand Defence Force, the Parliamentary Counsel Office, and the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service are directed as follows:

1. before developing a proposal to invest in or build online credential management or identity verification capability as an alternative to using all-of-government shared authentication services (known upon the giving of this direction as the Government Logon Service and the Identity Verification Service), whether the proposal is to be funded from retained depreciation funding or from new funding, to consult with the State Services Commission; and
2. if, after such consultation:
   1. the government department still intends to invest in or build alternative online credential management or identity verification capability; and
   2. the State Services Commission has not agreed, either in the individual case or by reference to a generic class consent, to the government department investing in or building alternative online credential management or identity verification capability,

   the government department must obtain the approval of its Minister and the Minister of State Services before taking action to implement the proposal.

Whole of Government Direction

The Minister of State Services and the Minister of Finance, pursuant to section 107 of the Crown Entities Act 2004, direct all Crown agents as follows:

1. before developing a proposal to invest in or build online credential management or identity verification capability as an alternative to using all-of-government shared authentication services (known upon the giving of this direction as the Government Logon Service and the Identity Verification Service), whether the proposal is to be funded from retained depreciation funding or from new funding, to consult with the State Services Commission; and
2. if, after such consultation:
   1. the Crown agent still intends to invest in or build alternative online credential management or identity verification capability; and
   2. the State Services Commission has not agreed, either in the individual case or by reference to a generic class consent, to the Crown agent investing in or building alternative online credential management or identity verification capability,

   the Crown agent must obtain the approval of its responsible Minister and the Minister of State Services before taking action to implement the proposal,

3. unless any requirement in this clause 1 would be inconsistent with section 113 of the Crown Entities Act 2004.

To contact the Authentication Programme, please email us at gts@dia.govt.nz.