Verified ID: Stop Deep Fakes and Impostors Now

Key insights

• Face Check with Microsoft Entra Verified ID is a modern identity verification service that uses real-time facial recognition and government-issued digital credentials to prevent deepfakes and imposters during organizational interactions.
  
• The process involves capturing a digital photo from a trusted source, such as a passport or driver’s license, then requiring the user to take a live selfie for authentication. Advanced AI algorithms check for liveness and match facial features between the live image and stored credential.
  
• A confidence score is generated after comparing the images, and organizations can set their own acceptance thresholds. For example, a 70% threshold offers strong security with minimal false positives, while higher thresholds can further reduce risk but may increase false rejections.
  
• This technology provides high security against deepfakes by combining biometric face matching with official digital IDs, making it much harder for bad actors to use fake identities or manipulated images.
  
• The system is consent-based and privacy-respecting, requiring user permission at every step of the verification process. Organizations benefit from fast setup using smartphones and QR codes, improving both convenience and trust in remote or digital onboarding.
  
• The rise of biometric verification like Face Check reflects industry trends: billions of ID verifications are performed yearly worldwide, with more organizations adopting biometrics due to increased fraud risks and consumer preference for secure, password-free methods.
  

Introduction to Face Check and Verified ID

Microsoft has introduced an innovative solution to address the escalating threat of identity fraud, deepfakes, and imposters. The technology, known as Face Check with Microsoft Entra Verified ID, leverages real-time facial recognition and secure digital credentials to verify identities during organizational interactions. This system aims to establish a reliable method for confirming an individual's authenticity, particularly as digital impersonation techniques become more sophisticated.

As organizations increasingly operate in remote and hybrid environments, the need for trustworthy digital identity verification has never been greater. Face Check integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Entra Verified ID, offering a robust platform for issuing, managing, and validating digital credentials. Through this approach, enterprises can significantly reduce risks associated with fraudulent access and unauthorized impersonation.

How Face Check Technology Works

The Face Check process begins when a user initiates an onboarding or authentication workflow. First, the individual obtains a digital credential, which includes a photo sourced from a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or passport. This credential is verified by a trusted third party, ensuring its legitimacy before being linked to the user’s profile.

Next, during the verification process, the user is prompted to take a live selfie using their smartphone camera. Modern apps like Microsoft Authenticator facilitate this step by providing QR codes that launch the selfie capture sequence. Importantly, advanced AI algorithms conduct a liveness check to confirm that the selfie is taken by a real person, not a static image or deepfake.

Once the image is captured, the system compares key facial features—such as the relative positions of the eyes and nose—between the live selfie and the credential photo. Based on this comparison, a confidence score is generated. Organizations can set thresholds for this score, balancing the need for security against the risk of false rejections.

Balancing Security and User Experience

One of the central tradeoffs highlighted in John Savill’s presentation is the balance between security and user convenience. For example, setting a lower threshold for the confidence score (such as 70%) provides a high degree of protection, with only a 1 in 10 million chance of an imposter passing. Raising the threshold to 90% makes the system even more secure, reducing the odds to 1 in a billion. However, stricter settings may inadvertently reject legitimate users, creating friction in the user experience.

Organizations must carefully consider their risk tolerance and operational needs when configuring these thresholds. While higher security settings are suitable for sensitive environments, more lenient configurations may be appropriate for lower-risk scenarios where user convenience is a priority. This flexibility allows enterprises to tailor the system to their unique requirements.

Advantages and Challenges of Verified ID Solutions

Face Check with Entra Verified ID offers several important benefits. The use of biometric authentication combined with official digital credentials provides strong protection against deepfakes, forged IDs, and impersonation attempts. Furthermore, the process is consent-based, meaning users must explicitly agree to each verification, which supports privacy best practices and regulatory compliance.

Nevertheless, challenges remain. User onboarding requires initial credential verification by trusted partners, which can introduce complexity for global organizations. Additionally, while AI-driven facial recognition and liveness checks are highly effective, they are not infallible. There is always a small risk of false positives or negatives, especially as fraud tactics continue to evolve.

Another consideration is accessibility. While smartphone-based verification is convenient for most users, it may not be practical for everyone, especially in regions with limited access to modern devices or reliable internet connections. Organizations must weigh these factors when deploying such technologies at scale.

Industry Context and Future Trends

The adoption of biometrics and AI-powered verification is accelerating across industries, particularly in banking, healthcare, and enterprise IT. In 2024, there were approximately 75 billion digital identity verifications globally, a figure projected to reach 86 billion by 2025. Nearly half of financial institutions now use selfie or liveness checks when suspicious activity is detected, indicating a shift towards biometric-first security models.

Face Check’s integration with Microsoft Entra Verified ID positions it as a forward-thinking solution in this evolving landscape. By providing both robust security and a streamlined user experience, Microsoft’s platform helps organizations stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated threats while fostering trust in digital interactions.

As deepfakes and digital impersonation threats grow, technologies like Face Check will play a critical role in safeguarding digital identities. The ongoing challenge will be to refine these systems for greater accuracy, accessibility, and privacy, ensuring they remain effective and user-friendly in a rapidly changing environment.

Keywords

Deep Fakes detection Verified ID Face Check Imposter prevention AI identity verification Deepfake security biometric authentication