Anatel mandates facial biometric validation for mobile lines in Brazil, with phased deadlines from 2027 to 2028 to curb SIM swap fraud
Matéria consolidada. Reúne 2 matérias que o Tifon tinha publicado separadamente sobre a mesma história. A IA reescreveu o relatório com o que a fonte trouxe em 29/10/2026 00:04; os links antigos trazem para cá.
Fontes: olhardigital.com.br ×2 ↗
Anatel, Brazil's telecommunications regulator, approved a rule requiring biometric validation, via facial recognition with liveness detection ("prova de vida"), to register or keep active mobile lines held by individuals and individual microentrepreneurs (MEIs). The federal government announced the standard on 28 October 2026 (olhardigital.com.br). The measure targets fraud involving lines activated with false information or third-party data, including SIM swap and identity fraud. Rollout is phased: new prepaid activations come first, and existing users must be regularized by the end of 2028. Lines left unvalidated may be suspended and, from January 2029, cancelled. BioStation CEO Leonardo Araújo de Assis called the rule an important step but warned that deepfakes and AI-manipulated video remain a challenge (olhardigital.com.br).
Detalhes técnicos
- The rule is set out in Norma Técnica GT-SEG.2026.11, developed by the SGT-Fraudes subgroup and approved by consensus by the GT-Seg working group (olhardigital.com.br).
- Carriers must capture the face image with liveness detection and compare it against public biometric databases or private providers. Validation will be available in physical stores, on carrier websites and in official apps. Alternative procedures exist when facial recognition cannot be completed (olhardigital.com.br).
- Carriers must apply personal data protection measures in line with the LGPD (olhardigital.com.br).
- Deadlines:
- 30 September 2027: new prepaid activations.
- 31 December 2027: new postpaid activations, number portability, SIM swaps and customer-requested registration or contract changes.
- 31 December 2028: final deadline to regularize existing users who have not completed biometric validation.
- Lines not validated by the end of 2028 may be suspended, and from January 2029 they may be cancelled (olhardigital.com.br).
- Risk noted by the expert: deepfakes and AI-manipulated video can undermine facial recognition. He suggests palm vein biometrics for critical operations such as SIM swap and portability, especially at in-person service points (olhardigital.com.br).
Remediação
- Consumers with existing lines should complete biometric validation before the end of 2028 to avoid suspension (olhardigital.com.br).
- Carriers must follow the notification rules and deadlines in the norm before suspending or cancelling lines, integrate the verification with their systems, and protect the personal data collected (olhardigital.com.br).
- The expert recommends hardening facial recognition against deepfakes and manipulated video through layered, multi-modal biometrics, applying each modality where it fits best (olhardigital.com.br).
Linha do tempo
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Anatel mandates facial recognition for mobile line registration in Brazil from 2027 to curb SIM swap and identity fraud
ler a análise desta fonte ocultar
Anatel, Brazil's telecom regulator, issued a technical standard (GT-SEG.2026.11), announced by the federal government on 28 October 2026. It requires facial recognition with liveness ("prova de vida") to register or maintain mobile lines, for individuals and MEIs (individual microentrepreneurs). The measure targets fraud and the use of false data in mobile telephony. BioStation CEO Leonardo Araújo de Assis called it an important step against SIM swap and identity fraud. He warned that deepfakes and AI-manipulated video remain a challenge and recommended layered biometrics, such as palm vein recognition.
Technical Details
- The face image is captured with liveness detection and cross-checked against public and private databases.
- Validation can happen in physical stores, on carrier websites or in carrier apps. Alternative verification paths exist when facial recognition fails.
- Deadlines:
- New prepaid SIM activations: by 30 September 2027.
- New postpaid SIMs, number portability, SIM swap and registration changes: by 31 December 2027.
- Re-registration of existing lines: by 31 December 2028.
- Lines not validated by the end of 2028 may be suspended, and from January 2029 they may be cancelled.
- The expert cites deepfakes and AI-manipulated video as risks to facial recognition. He suggests palm vein biometrics for critical operations such as SIM swap and portability, especially in in-person service points.
Remediation
- Carriers need to integrate the verification with their systems, protect the personal data collected, and apply each biometric modality where it fits best.
- Facial recognition should be hardened against deepfakes and manipulated video through layered, multi-modal biometrics.
-
Anatel approves mandatory facial biometric validation for mobile line registration in Brazil, with phased deadlines through 2028
ler a análise desta fonte ocultar
Anatel, Brazil's telecommunications regulator, approved a rule requiring biometric validation to register or keep active mobile lines held by individuals and individual microentrepreneurs (MEIs). The measure aims to curb fraud involving lines activated with false information or third-party data. Rollout is phased, and lines that remain unregularized may be suspended from January 2029 and later cancelled.
Technical Details
- The rule is set out in Norma Técnica GT-SEG.2026.11, developed by the SGT-Fraudes subgroup and approved by consensus by the GT-Seg working group.
- Carriers must identify customers through facial recognition with liveness detection, comparing the result against public biometric databases or private providers. The procedure will be available in physical stores, on websites and in official apps.
- Alternative procedures are provided when validation cannot be completed. Carriers must apply personal data protection measures in line with the LGPD.
- Deadlines:
- 30 Sep 2027: new prepaid activations.
- 31 Dec 2027: new postpaid activations, number portability, SIM swaps and customer-requested registration or contract changes.
- 31 Dec 2028: final deadline to regularize existing users who have not completed biometric validation.
Remediation
Consumers with existing lines should complete biometric validation before the end of 2028 to avoid suspension. Carriers must follow the notification rules and deadlines in the norm before suspending or cancelling lines.