Mobile phone security chip: The Federal Ministry of the Interior simplifies electronic identity

After a bumpy start with a digital driver’s license, things could get better: The Federal Ministry of the Interior plans to simplify the ID card online. Several variants must be available for this.

The Ministry of the Interior, Construction and Home Affairs, or BMI for short, is under pressure: According to a bill, an electronic identity must be brought to a smartphone. It has already been confirmed BMI on its side Enter the smart electronic identifier. According to the official website of the Ministry, technical requirements for simple identification with a smartphone are currently being created.

This would make it possible to save the ID data directly and securely on the smartphone. All you have to do is hold the physical ID on the mobile phone to make the first transfer so that the information stored there can be transferred.

According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the effort involved in online identification should be reduced by half the current time. Currently, physical identification, a six-digit code, an app such as “AusweisApp2” and a smartphone or reader are required. This effort should be reduced with the new job.

However, Smart-E-ID requires a security chip, called a secure item, that is built into the smartphone. The security requirements set by the Federal Bureau of Information Security, or BSI for short, are currently only met by models of the Samsung Galaxy S series, according to BMI, but other smartphones should follow. Last but not least, there is also the basic ID version that has already been tested with the electronic driver’s license. After the ID wallet app entry failed, a new version will be launched in the near future.