“The Custom Software Development Kit”

This solution is a “custom software development kit” in that it provides a collection of source code, developer libraries, example applications, and components on which to build. This is the most flexible solution and most appropriate for very specific, unique, or niche use cases. The work to be done is to design and develop a new application that integrates these core features. From there, it can be tested, audited, and otherwise prepared to be deployed into production.

🕵️The Assessment Outcome

This assessment provided a detailed analysis of a legal identity system and software development kit designed to enhance civil registration services. The solution was adaptable to various government systems such as voter registration and passports, has been successfully implemented in countries like Malawi and Honduras, facilitating millions of ID card distributions and supporting government services. Despite its versatility and potential, the system required significant technical expertise for successful deployment and maintenance, addressing complex workflows and ensuring interoperability with other registries.

🔍 Discovered during the Assessment:

The review highlighted the system’s microservices architecture, along with client applications for Windows and Android. However, concerns were raised about the limited human capacity for post-deployment maintenance, the lack of integration into an ongoing software lifecycle, and several security vulnerabilities.

Issues identified included hard-coded credentials, inadequate testing, and insufficient defenses against supply chain attacks.

🖍 Recommendations & Actions:

Recommendations for improvement include developing manual and automated test plans, removing hard-coded credentials, and enhancing database access safety. The report also noted challenges in accessing publicly available code and documentation, emphasizing the need for direct partnership with the project team for a secure and successful implementation.