Page 162 - Cyber Defense eMagazine RSAC Special Edition 2025

What is a Real ID?

Originally slated to take full effect in 2008, the REAL ID deadline has been pushed back multiple times,
with the latest being May 7, 2025. In December 2020, Congress passed legislation allowing mobile
driver’s licenses (mDLs) to comply with REAL ID requirements. Since then, the TSA has taken over
management of the initiative.

While the original aim was to prevent another 9/11-style attack, over 20 years later, the focus has shifted
to protecting against identity theft and illegal immigration. The final deadline to get your REAL ID is now
May 7th, 2025, owing in part to differing opinions and adoption rates state-by-state which has dragged
enforcement on for two decades.

While there aren’t any features of REAL IDs that are particularly radical in terms of identity documentation
technology, they still bear the hallmarks of government-issued state IDs, such as holograms, UV images,
and additional barcode security features that help verify the ID form’s legitimacy.

Delayed rollout sparks security concerns

The delayed timelines of REAL ID adoption and enforcement have created a window of opportunity for
fraudsters and criminals.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, as of January 2024, just over half (56%) of all IDs in
circulation in the U.S. are REAL ID-compliant. While all states, territories, and the District of Columbia
are now compliant with REAL ID standards, the percentage of REAL ID-compliant IDs varies greatly from
state to state. In fact, in 34 states, less than 60% of IDs are REAL ID-compliant, and in 22 states, that
number drops below 40%.

To put it into perspective, there are approximately 162 million REAL IDs in circulation, while around 110
million noncompliant IDs and 14 million legacy IDs (those issued before a state’s REAL ID compliance
determination) are also in circulation. The national adoption rate of REAL IDs is currently 0.56% per
month, meaning by the enforcement deadline in May 2025, only around 61.2% of IDs will be REAL ID-
compliant.

The delays and staggered adoption has given bad actors the chance to create templates for fraudulent
REAL IDs. Businesses may incorrectly assume that an ID bearing a REAL ID star symbol are more likely
to be legitimate, but as our data proves, this is not the case. REAL IDs can be faked just as easily as any
other identity document, putting the onus on businesses to implement robust ID verification methods to
ensure they don’t fall victim to ID fraud.

The vast differences in ID documents, which vary state-by-state and are updated regularly, make
verifying without an ID verification solution impossible. According to IDScan.net research from 2024 on
the state of fraudulent identities, 26% of all fake ID catches were from out-of-state IDs. Unfamiliarity with
various forms introduces additional risk, particularly when attempting to verify without technology.

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