Australia’s Queensland will test out a mobile driver’s license app for an eventual statewide release in 2023, while California may also test out a digital driver’s license secured with biometrics in the near future. States may need to be cautious about the implementation, however. A blog post from digital security company Dvlun says design security flaws for the New South Wales government’s mDL app remain uncorrected and pose a significant vulnerability.
The Australian state of Queensland will pilot a mobile driver’s license (mDL) app in the city of Townsville with plans to roll out the app across the entire state in 2023. The National Retail Association writes in a blog post that the state government will trial a digital license app that will contain a driver’s licence, marine licence and photo ID card in late 2022. It will allow users to control the information they wish to display, such as just showing their photo and age without exposing their date of birth and address.
The Association says that the app will be secured with the phone’s security system and a six-digit PIN set by the user. The app itself does not appear to have biometric security, though it may be featured according to the phone’s security systems that may include biometric modalities like fingerprints or a face.
The app can be verified by checking for visual security features like a pulsating Queensland Coat of Arms or the last online refresh date, and scanning a QR code with the app or a verifier app. It will be provided for free and will not replace physical ID cards, according to the Association.
