Europe cannot “cut corners” on digital security, says Doherty

Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty has called on the European Commission to make mandatory two-factor authentication a minimum security requirement for all European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallets before they are rolled out across the European Union.

The wallets, established under the revised eIDAS Regulation, will store highly sensitive identity credentials and be used to access both public and private services across Europe.

Dohrty said, “as online scams and identity theft become more sophisticated, Europe cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to protecting people’s personal data.”

“Ireland’s Digital Identity Wallet already uses a six-digit PIN, but if these wallets are going to hold our most sensitive identity credentials, that should be backed up by mandatory two-factor authentication. The same standard should apply across every Member State.”

In a question to the European Commission, Doherty has asked why mandatory two-factor authentication was not included as a minimum requirement under the revised eIDAS framework, whether the Commission considers the current security requirements sufficient to protect users against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, and whether it intends to introduce mandatory multi-factor authentication in future implementing acts or legislative revisions.

“Europe has an opportunity to set the global standard for secure digital identity. Security cannot be an afterthought. Two-factor authentication should be the minimum standard before these wallets are rolled out,” she said.