Access Management , Governance & Risk Management , Identity & Access Management

Why Is Mastercard Working on Digital ID Assurance?

Sarah Clark of Mastercard discusses why the card payment network is expanding its focus to include digital identity assurance.

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Many of the attributes of running a payment network are also applicable to managing digital identities, she says.

“The concept of interoperability, being able to reuse a digital ID and having your data protected and preserved are all guiding principles in our payments business, and we're applying that to the identity business,” Clark says. “So, we certainly see a huge global need. Identity assurance helps businesses; it helps individuals. Being able to weave together a network that's more effective, allowing us to seamlessly share our identities, we see as helping everybody.”

In a video interview with Information Security Media Group, Clark discusses:

• Whether identity is the new money;
• Key initiatives in building interoperable global identity standards;
• Growth plans for Mastercard as a provider of digital identity assurance.

Clark, who has over 20 years of experience as a product leader, is senior vice president of digital identity at Mastercard. She formerly worked at Mitek, where she led the identity verification business.