Background

What is the purpose of this document?

The New Zealand All-of-government authentication model current comprises two inter-related but separate services; the Government Logon Service and the Identity Verification Service. The Government Logon Service is currently being built and the Identity Verification Service is in the design stage.

This document provides a high-level overview of the Government Logon Service. An accompanying document will be developed for the Identity Verification Service once the design stage has been completed.

This document:

• reviews the core concepts of authentication used in the New Zealand programme
• outlines the design for the Government Logon Service
• summarises the principles approved by Government for All-of-government authentication and its initial implementation.

What is the All-of-government Authentication programme?

To use some government services, people need to verify who they are. People also need to know that they are dealing with a real government agency. The process of establishing, to the required level of satisfaction, the identity of one (or more) of the parties in a transaction is called 'authentication'.

The All-of-Government Authentication Programme aims to standardise authentication for New Zealand government online services. The State Service Commission initiated the programme in 2000 as a means to facilitate the increasing volume of e-transactions between people and government agencies. For more details, see www.e-government.govt.nz/authentication/. A two page 'Fact Sheet' that provides answers to frequently asked questions is available at: www.e-government.govt.nz/programme/docs/authentication.pdf

What stage is the programme at?

The current phase of the All-of-Government Authentication programme, started in July 2004 and scheduled to complete in early 2006, includes:

• the initial implementation of the 'Government Logon Service' to up to four government agencies
• developing standards for the overall authentication process
• policy work on privacy, and future legal implications
• researching and developing ways in which electronic identity of individuals can be managed to create the Identity Verification Service
• supporting review bodies and privacy impact assessments
• further work to confirm the estimated costs and benefits of rolling out the Government Logon Service to other government agencies.