For decades, secure physical elements have been the cornerstone of digital identity verification. From the chips in our passports to the chips in our credit cards, these physical secure elements have provided the robust security needed to prove identity and maintain control over sensitive information. However, as our world increasingly moves toward mobile solutions, the challenge of maintaining this level of security has shifted.
Ubiqu has pioneered a different approach
With our Remote Secure Element technology, Ubiqu has developed an innovative solution to this challenge. The Remote Secure Element (RSE) allows us to fundamentally transform how we approach digital identity security on mobile devices. Rather than trying to replicate the physical security element within smartphones themselves, we have pioneered a different approach by placing the physical secure element in a data center, and establishing a uniquely strong connection between mobile devices and this remote element.
In this article, we answer your most frequently asked questions about the Remote Secure Element.
- How does the RSE work?
- What if you lose your phone?
- And what if you don’t have an internet connection?
- What sets the solution apart from other digital identity solutions?
- What does the future hold for Ubiqu’s RSE technology?
How does the RSE work?
The Remote Secure Element works through hardware security modules (HSMs) hosted in data centers, which have been specially modified by Ubiqu to create a secure connection. At Ubiqu, we use Google’s data centers. However, we can also place the HSM in client’s data centers if required.
When users download and activate their digital wallet app, it establishes a permanent link between their phone and the secure element in the data center. This connection ensures that the secure element belongs exclusively to that specific device, allowing users to begin their journey anonymously and add personal information such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, or licenses at their convenience.
What if you lose your phone?
One of the most significant advantages of this RSE approach is its robust recovery system. Traditional solutions often risk losing critical components when a phone is lost or stolen. With the RSE, all encryption keys are stored securely in the data center. This means that if a user loses their phone or upgrades to a new device, they can easily reactivate their digital identity and access their entire transaction history on the new device, maintaining continuity and security. In other words, you haven’t lost your whole life if you lose your phone.
And what if you don’t have an internet connection?
While the solution does require an internet connection, this limitation is increasingly insignificant in today's connected world: you will need the internet to access digital services anyway.
However, the system can still accommodate specific offline use cases through validated offline tickets when necessary, though these operate at a slightly lower security level than the fully connected solution.
What sets the solution apart from other digital identity solutions?
The system has already achieved important milestones that set it apart in the market. It has received certification and secured patents, making it a plug-and-play solution ready for immediate implementation. This gives it a significant advantage over organizations attempting to develop their own solutions, which typically require one to two years of development followed by an uncertain certification process.
The technology's flexibility and adaptability make it particularly valuable across various sectors. As digital identity becomes increasingly central to security and digital transformation, the Remote Secure Element can be implemented in multiple contexts, from government services to payment systems. This versatility is especially important as cyber attacks continue to rise, pushing both public and private sectors to seek more secure ways for users to interact with their services.
What does the future hold for Ubiqu’s RSE technology?
The system's adoption is already gaining momentum, with implementations underway in significant projects. At the moment, we are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on digital twin passports for 2025, and in the Netherlands, we are working with KPN, demonstrating the technology's practical applications in both government and commercial contexts.
As digital transformation accelerates and security requirements become more stringent, particularly under the eIDAS 2.0 framework, the Remote Secure Element positions itself as a crucial technology for the future of digital identity. Its combination of certified security, easy recovery, and flexible implementation makes it an attractive solution for organizations looking to provide secure, user-friendly digital identity services. By solving the fundamental challenge of securing mobile identity verification while maintaining usability, the RSE is indeed proving to be a game-changing innovation in the digital identity landscape.
