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The way in which users log in to their myGov accounts is set to change, with the Australian government looking at implementing passwordless authentication.
Government Services Minister Bill Shorten said that the introduction of more secure login options will modernise and better secure the nation’s myGov accounts.
“Passkeys will be introduced to bring myGov further into the 21st century, allowing Australians the ability to use biometric options such as facial recognition to access the site,” he said.
“These important sign-in alternatives are familiar to many Australians and are a key safeguard against scammers who use phishing tactics to harvest personal information, like people’s date of birth, to fraudulently access accounts.”
The Albanese government has expressed concerns with the security of myGov, with Minister Shorten revealing just days earlier that myGov scams have resulted in $3.1 billion in losses and that 4,500 scams have succeeded just this year.
This has resulted in thousands of myGov accounts being suspended to proactively thwart potential scams.
“In 2023, there [have] already been more than 4,500 new individual myGov scams,” said Minister Shorten.
“These fake sites and criminal gimmicks like ‘scams-in-a-box’ trick our citizens into giving criminals their user ID and passwords.”
Alongside the new announcement, Minister Shorten said the government was working to improve online defences and develop a digital ID that would consolidate verification and eliminate security flaws related to having passwords. The push for passwordless authentication seems to be a stepping stone in that journey.
Alongside the move away from passwords, the federal government has announced the appointment of a new advisory group to better secure myGov and the data of its users.
The group was announced by Minister Shorten, who said that a myGov user audit found the platform to be critical national infrastructure and that the appointment of a group was a key recommendation.
Former NSW minister for customer service and digital government Victor Dominello is set to lead the advisory group.
“I’m thrilled Mr Dominello has accepted my invitation to lead the new advisory group, which will provide me with advice and assurance on approaches to designing, funding and prioritising customer-centred improvements for myGov,” Minister Shorten said.
“Victor Dominello is one of Australia’s top innovators, and his leadership, influence and passion for customer-centred digital service delivery has already delivered significant benefits to New South Wales residents during his time as a minister.”
While the exact goals of the advisory group have not been disclosed as of yet, Minister Shorten added that he looks forward to bolstering security and thwarting scammers on the platform.
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