All IAM glossary termsAuthentication · glossary
Identity Proofing
Also known as: IDV · Identity Verification
Definition
Identity proofing is the process of establishing that a person presenting an identity claim is actually the person they claim to be — typically via government-issued ID, biometric verification, or knowledge-based questions.
In more depth
NIST 800-63A defines identity-proofing assurance at three levels (IAL1/IAL2/IAL3). IAL2 typically involves government-ID verification + selfie matching. IAL3 adds in-person or supervised remote verification.
Common use cases: workforce onboarding, customer signup for regulated services (banking, healthcare), step-up verification for high-risk transactions. Vendors include Jumio, Onfido, Persona, Stripe Identity, and the major CIAM platforms with built-in IDV.
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