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Digital ID Solutions Still a Priority for State

Allowing Californians to access online services across state and local government entities remains a pressing need, and the state’s chief information security officer reminded vendors this week that their suggestions and ideas are welcome.

Vitaliy Panych
Vitaliy Panych, state chief information security officer
California’s chief information security officer (CISO) reminded the IT vendor community this week that the California Department of Technology and other key agencies are seeking suggestions relating to digital ID, a way to allow residents to use a single sign-in identity across the agencies of state and local government.

The comments by acting state CISO Vitaliy Panych came Wednesday during a cybersecurity webinar sponsored by three entities — the California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI) at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo; the city of Roseville; and the Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC). Panych was among the speakers.

In response to a question, Panych said state officials “definitely would like to open it up” to discussion of digital ID solutions that vendors may have to offer.

“One of the broader, bigger strategic initiatives we’re trying to push is centralized identity management, or digital ID,” Panych said. “The constituent-based or resident-based digital ID is something that really, really needs to happen, not just across state but up and down all of government."

He explained in personal terms: “I’m tired of having a separate account to pay my local property taxes, for paying my state income tax, to conducting business with getting a fishing license, and then all these other services,” the acting CISO said. “Everybody has a unique way to register and validate your identity, and that’s becoming a challenge. It’s not conducive to inclusivity and reaching digital services to everybody. It’s hard to use, so we’re definitely having some internal broader-level discussions on ‘What do we need to do to steer that ship in the right direction?’”

Panych acknowledged the sheer scale of trying to coordinate scores of agencies’ public access portals while maintaining online cybersecurity and preventing bad actors from hacking in.

“It is a big ship,” Panych said, “which would require potential legislation and policy changes. That’s something that’s worthy of benefiting the broader resident base of California.”

Placer County’s information security officer, Deborah Curtis, also presented during the webinar, focusing on the cooperative nature of state and local government.

“We used Roseville as a template,” she said, adding that her county also looks to CDT for guidance when needed.

Opening remarks were delivered by Roseville’s chief information officer, Hong Sae, who’s also the president of MISAC. Hong similarly noted the ongoing collaboration on cybersecurity and other issues among MISAC, the California Counties Information Systems Directors Association and the California Special Districts Association. Hong noted that he’s part of a group of public-sector IT leaders who meet regularly with CDT and others.    

This week’s cybersecurity webinar was one in an ongoing series by CCI, moderated by Jimmy Baker, the institute’s account coordinator for IT services. Previous CCI webinars are accessible on CCI’s YouTube channel.

Techwire will post the link when a recording of Wednesday’s webinar is accessible online.

Dennis Noone is Executive Editor of Industry Insider. He is a career journalist, having worked at small-town newspapers and major metropolitan dailies including USA Today in Washington, D.C.