SwissID enters the market

SwissID – the new standardised digital identity from the Swiss Post and SBB joint venture SwissSign AG – is now available to companies and authorities across Switzerland. In a statement issued today (16 May), Swiss Post explained the rationale for the launch: “More and more people are using digital services. But if you have different login details for each online portal you use, not only do you have to register all over again with your personal details, you also have to manage an increasing number of usernames and passwords. This is time-consuming and can therefore cause problems if you frequently use the same passwords on different and often insecure websites.

“The need for a standardised, digital and secure login method that complies with data protection regulations is growing, both for providers and consumers and at both a private and state level.”
Since SwissID meets various security requirements, the service will be suitable for e-government and electronic voting applications at a later date, among other things.

Swiss Post added: “With SwissID, users can access a variety of online services via a single secure login instead of using a number of different usernames and passwords and thus exposing themselves to unnecessary security risks. It is free to use for private users.”