Designing and building a security pass data-sharing system for UK airports

The Access Pass Holder Information Distribution System (APHIDS) is a national capability which provides industry, the Civil Aviation Authority, law enforcement and the government with a secure system enabling the unique identification of all staff that have access to restricted areas at UK airports and fall within scope of legislation for enhanced background checks and repeat criminal records checks.

The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) shaped and helped develop a proof of concept (PoC) for APHIDS – which is designed to minimise insider threats - through innovative collaboration across our supplier network. A joint project between the Home Office and Department for Transport, APHIDS is now rolled out across in-scope UK airports.

The new system, which is a central source of information on people who hold, or are applying for airside access passes, has been praised as extremely user friendly. This was achieved by extensive engagement at every part of the design and development process, putting users at the heart of every decision.

ACE, along with ourselves here at Naimuri and BMT (from the Vivace community of industry expertise), quickly defined the scope and engaged extensively with user groups from late 2018 to early 2019 to understand their specific requirements.

Naimuri was selected as the Home Office Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) industry partner to continue development and delivery of APHIDSthrough to public beta, and APHIDS went into live service in 2022, successfully building on early work with ACE. Naimuri, which is part of QinetiQ, also secured a support contract for APHIDS.

Carl Roberts, Managing Director at Naimuri (at the time), said:

Our solution helps increase visibility of airside passholders and reduces the time and effort to access this information, improves ability to identify insider threats quickly and effectively and meets UK legislation on enhanced background checks.

Find out more at: https://www.gov.uk/government/...