DigitPA (which has replaced the CNIPA, the previous National Centre for Government Digitization) is the public-sector ICT organization for government digitization activities.

 

The challenge

 

The Public Connectivity System (SPC) is the set of technological infrastructures and technical guidelines for “federating” the ICT systems of government organizations, agencies, departments and entities, with a view to providing integrated services based on common rules and services. This integration is necessary to achieve cost/time savings and to develop final user-centered services, avoiding the continuous request for data and information by the government offices, as well as duplications of information and controls. In 2007, AlmavivA was awarded a contract, in a joint venture with HP, for providing evolved Interoperability, Cooperation and Application Security SPCoop services. One of the objectives was to build a solution for managing the Identification, Authentication and Authorization (IAA) functions enabling users to access Government information systems, by ensuring compliance with the applicable security policies and the technical SPC guidelines.  

 

The solution and its benefits

The service developed by AlmavivA enables users to access, the Government web applications, according to a single sign-on procedure, through a safe system and using individual credentials (user ID and password, Digital Certificate, National Services Smartcard, e-ID card). The access profiles can be assigned based on the Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) model, which provides for the assignment of permits in relation to the individual user’s role (or qualification). The users accessing the information systems are not just civil servants, they can also be businesses or members of the public. All access attempts are recorded and a report is generated on user activities.

 

The service is developed and managed – as part of the SPCoop Services Center – by the AlmavivA data processing unit, which features high-level security and ensures continued operation (99.9%), enabling the Government department, agency or entity concerned to delegate the day-to-day management of the service on a 24/7 basis.

 

To date, the IAA service developed by AlmavivA has been introduced by the Ministry of Justice, the Authority for Supervising Public-sector Contracts (AVCP) and the local authority of Rome. The service currently features 100,000 users, which are expected to constantly increase. Moreover, the solution has been introduced by the social security sector as well, for federated digital identity management purposes, consistently with the “Technical and security rules and guidelines for the operation of the Public Connectivity System” under the DPCM of 1 April 2008.

 

Specifically speaking, a single federated service has been developed between INPDAP and INPS, based on the federated Digital Identity Management (GFID) model, defined in the previous technical guidelines, enables the accredited INPDAP portal user to access the Integrated INPS Statement service, without having to authenticate all over again. We have also developed, for the AVCP and INPDAP, the access interfaces to the Application Cooperation services delivered by the Internal Revenue Service (Agenzia delle Entrate), as defined in specific contracts or service agreements according to the application cooperation model employed in the SPC, and consistently with the SAML security and federation standard.

 

Comment by the customer

 

"Services like this can improve the perception of quality and trust in Government services, preventing duplication of information, sources of inefficiencies and insecurity. The IAA service, based on consolidated standards, has introduced the SPC technical specifications, issued after the awarding of the contract, constituting an investment that can be integrated with future use scenarios” is the comment by Francesco Tortorelli, Manager of the DigitPa Office for evolved interoperability and application cooperation.