USPS To Provide Personal Identity Certification

Zentalon writes "The United States Postal Service has announced that it will provide In-Person Proofing (pdf) to physically authenticate individuals before a digital signature certificate is issued to that person. This has a bunch of interesting ramifications; for instance, I could create a simple spam filter that only accepts mail from individuals and organizations that have an authenticated certificate. It could also allow for more secure financial transactions. Anyone know if any other national postal services are planning the same thing?" Funny, they don't seem to always know where to deliver so-called first-class mail ...

Comments

The Post Office? Seriously?

[Just Some Guy]

Of course, your certificate will be snailed to you on the back of a postcard. 10% of them will be lost. Complaints will be handled by people too slow to work at the Department of Motor Vehicles. And although they'll only cost $0.37 to start, their price growth will outstrip inflation. When a competing company starts doing the same things with better service and prices, they'll whine that they're losing business and raise prices again.

Other than that, I'm sure it'll be great. When will my local branch (literally in a small town in Nebraska) have their PKI training day?

But tell me...

[mhore]

what good is a digital signature verified by the Post Office if you are unable to.......... speak?

Mike.

Seriously.

[American AC in Paris]

Funny, they don't seem to always know where to deliver so-called first-class mail ...

I hear ya there.

The USPS could learn a thing or two about accuracy and error-prevention from Slashdot.

fnord

Re:Seriously.

[DMDx86]

If Slashdot ran the post office, you'd receive four copies of the same letter or package, often on the same day.

Not only that, Michael would open your mail, insert spelling mistakes, and write [ed. note - no it isn't] by stuff in your letters

USPS User Experience

[Anonymous Coward]

User enters post office. Waits 20 minutes in line. Gets to front of the line.

Agent: (slowly) May I help you?
User: I'd like to get a certified digital ID.
Agent: (slowly) Okay, please go to the back of the room and fill out form 2219. When you're done, please bring it back to the front.
User searches a while
User: Where's the form?!
Agent: (slowly) If it's not there, we're out. You can always call 1-800-ASK-USPS for more information.
User: But they told me to come here! You have to verify my ID!
Agent: (very slowly) I'm sorry, you'll have to speak to the manager. He's gone for the day. You'll have to come back Monday at 10 am.
User: AAAAIIIEEEEEEE!!!!! runs screaming from the post office

Yeah, this will be a big hit.

I need a vacation... Oh! I'm starting one! :-)

[HarveyBirdman]

The United States Postal Service has announced that it will provide In-Person Proofing

I swear on my grandmother grave that I saw "In-Person Shooting" when I first read it.

A few less FPS games for me, I think. More Super Mario Sunshine and Animal Crossing for a while.

Well, I have a 5-day weekend ahead of me. You all play nice.

Yes!

[fireboy1919]

This is just what I've been looking for!
(start playing the sad story music, if you have any - Michael Jackson stuff will work real well here)
You see, I've had sort of an identity crisis - not really sure who I am. The post office can finally change that. They can authenticate me, and authenticate who I am. No more wandering willy-nilly.

(at this point please begin playing some patriotic music to get the full effect of the message)
With the post office as my guide, I will rise to the brink of a better tomorrow and boldly go forth to face my dreams because I am authenticated!

Thankyou, US post office. The world is in your debt.

Re:Postal Workers

[Sloppy]

"Sorry, this AK47 is not registered to this user. Please call the Kalashnikov Corporation customer service hotline at 1-800-COMMUNISM and have a credit card ready..."

is it ironic

[geekoid]

that slashdot would slam the USPS for its incredibly rare mistakes?

If the people who ran /. ran the postoffice, my mail would only get handled correctly about 4 out of 10 times. the good noes is, I would regularly get the same package twice.