Assessment agency warns of great complexity of eID program
The Bureau ICT Toetsing, or BIT, has drawn up advice on the eID programme. This should make it possible to log in online with electronic identification. The agency warns that the program may crash because it is too complex.
The BIT states that many steps have already been taken to ensure that the program becomes simpler. Initially, the program, which is intended to offer an alternative to DigiD, was aimed at logging in to both the government and companies. This has now been limited to only logging in to the government, for example with an eNIk, or a digital identity card, or an eRiding licence. According to the BIT, this decision has already removed a lot of complexity, but it is not enough.
Minister Plasterk responded substantively to the BIT report on Friday. In addition, he states that he agrees with the assessment agency regarding the tight schedule of the program. It is the intention that the new login means can already be used in 2017. According to the BIT, this target is endangered, partly because the available 23 million euros would not be sufficient. In addition, it is critical of the benefits of the new system for citizens and states that these ‘will be limited in the first instance’. The minister responds to these criticisms by referring to the pilots that are currently being carried out and by indicating that he wants to await their evaluation first.
The background to the eID program is the finding that the dependence on DigiD is too great and that this creates a vulnerable system. For example, in the event that DigiD is not available. In addition, security requirements are imposed on the new system that could not be imposed on the current system.