IT and Authority: Government approves requirements for e-government identification system

The decree of the government № 977 of November 28th 2011 has approved requirements for the integrated system of identification and authentication in e-government infrastructure. Its purpose is to enable integration of various access channels to the electronic government.  

The system will save citizens from the necessity to keep numerous logins and passwords which are asked for when they want to receive govt services electronically. Having once registered in any of government information systems, the citizen will have a right to use this login and password when entering resources of other agencies. What is more, to access government resources citizens will be free to use various electronic cards, means offered by mobile operators and digital television operators – any means announced by the system.

As for the identifier (login) of applicant’s information the system will require an insurance number of individual personal account, which has been already used on govt services portal.

The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of Russia is a customer, operator and coordinator of the system. Until April 15th 2012 the Ministry is commissioned to bring the service into operation. The same deadline has been announced for federal executive bodies and state non-budget funds to ensure transition to this system, while regional government bodies are recommended to run this system on their portals.

The system of identification and authentication is a part of the infrastructure which enables the information and technological interaction between information systems, which in their turn provide government and municipal services electronically. This infrastructure also incorporates govt services portal which provides public access to electronic services and interagency interaction system which ensures data exchange necessary for receiving govt services.

The system will open access of citizens and legal entities to the e-government, and also will be used by officials to exchange data, and by information systems for information exchange in automatic mode.

At present the system is employed on govt services portal and for electronic interagency interaction.