New identity protection service ‘IDLock’ to give Australians greater control over identity documents

The Albanese Government is strengthening Australia's identity protection framework with the introduction of IDLock, a new digital identity protection service designed to give Australians direct control over how their identity documents are used for verification.

The new service will be available securely through myGov next year and will enable Australians to block, unblock and monitor the use of eligible identity documents through the Document Verification Service at any time. This will help Australians protect themselves from identity crime, scams and the impacts of data breaches before harm occurs.

IDLock is being developed as a new way for people to access the protections of the Credential Protection Register. Established by the Commonwealth in 2022, the register helps prevent compromised identity documents from being used to fraudulently establish an individual's identity.

Since late 2022, the register has blocked over 830,000 fraudulent identity verification attempts, averaging around 18,000 each month. This demonstrates the important role the register plays in protecting Australians when their identity credentials have been compromised.

IDLock will be released initially to a small cohort of users for early access and testing later this year, ahead of a broader national rollout in 2027.

Visit the IDMatch website for more information about identity verification services, or the IDCARE website for tailored support and assistance with regard to scams, identity theft and cyber threats.

Quotes attributable to the Attorney-General, Hon Michelle Rowland MP:

"Australians deserve to have control over how their personal identity information, such as their driver licence or passport, is used to verify their identity online. 

"As data breaches, scams and cyber-enabled crime continue to evolve, Australia's approach must evolve with them.

"With the launch of IDLock, our Government is taking the next step towards a stronger, more robust identity verification framework that expands the focus from responding after identity credentials have been compromised, to enabling Australians to protect themselves before identity crime occurs.

"Whether their driver licence details have been exposed in a data breach or they are concerned about scams and identity theft, IDLock will give Australians an accessible and simple way to have greater visibility, control and confidence in how their identity documents are used."