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Plain-language explainers on how identity is verified, the technology behind it, and what it means for privacy.
Identity verification 101
How Online Identity Verification Works, Step by Step
Online identity verification combines document analysis, biometric checks and screening data to decide whether a person is likely genuine and eligible for a service. The exact steps vary by provider, country, risk level and the document presented.
Identity Assurance Levels Explained (NIST 800-63)
NIST Special Publication 800-63 separates confidence in a person’s identity, their login method and federated sign-in transactions. Its assurance levels help organizations match verification and authentication controls to the harm a mistaken decision could cause.
KYC, KYB and AML: What They Mean and How They Differ
KYC verifies individual customers, KYB verifies businesses and their owners, and AML is the wider legal framework for detecting and preventing illicit finance.
Onboarding vs Ongoing Verification
Onboarding verifies who a customer is at the start of a relationship. Ongoing verification keeps that identity, risk profile and activity under review as circumstances and threats change.
What Is Identity Verification?
Identity verification is the process of establishing that a person is who they claim to be. It combines evidence, checks and risk decisions to help organizations prevent fraud, meet obligations and provide services safely.
Methods & technology
Biometric Verification and Liveness Detection
Biometric verification compares a person’s face or other trait with a claimed identity, while liveness detection helps determine whether the sample comes from a present human rather than a spoof. The technology can reduce fraud, but its accuracy, fairness and privacy implications require careful controls.
Deepfake Detection in Identity Verification
Deepfakes have made identity verification a higher-value target for fraudsters. Effective defenses combine liveness checks with controls that detect synthetic media injection, assess device signals and continuously adapt to new attack methods.
Document Verification: How ID Document Checks Work
Document verification assesses whether an identity document is genuine, intact and readable, using images, document data and, where available, an NFC chip. It is a core IDV control, but it cannot by itself prove that the presenter is the document holder.