Background
The Queensland Digital Licence (QDL) program is a transformational state government initiative enabling citizens to carry a secure, verifiable, mobile driver licence (mDL) on their smartphones. As part of this critical digital infrastructure rollout, Aliva was selected to provide managed services and operational support due to its strong credentials in cybersecurity, service reliability, and quality delivery.
A key differentiator in Aliva’s selection and ongoing performance was its certified ISO 27001 Information Security Management System (ISMS), which ensured that all services were delivered with security, risk management, and compliance embedded in daily operations.
The Challenge
The QDL platform is a high-assurance, high-availability service that handles sensitive personal information, including identity data and licence entitlements. The platform must meet stringent government expectations for:
- Data protection and access control
- Operational resilience and rapid incident response
- Ongoing risk assessments and governance reporting
- Alignment with global digital identity standards (ISO 18013-5/7)
The challenge for Aliva was to maintain airtight security practices while delivering flexible, responsive support for the fast-paced and evolving demands of the QDL project.
The Solution
Aliva’s ISO 27001 certification underpinned its approach to supporting the QDL platform through:
Information Security by Design
All infrastructure, processes, and support workflows were designed and maintained under a formally audited ISMS framework. This enabled:
- Role-based access controls (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative systems
- Secure configuration baselines and change control for all managed systems
- A data classification policy to ensure the highest protection for identity-related data
Continual Risk Management
Aliva’s team continuously monitored and updated risk registers aligned to Annex A controls, covering:
- A.5: Information security policies
- A.12: Operations security
- A.16: Information security incident management
This resulted in proactive identification of threats and vulnerabilities, with formal risk treatment plans and mitigation strategies applied across the QDL infrastructure stack.
Real-Time Operational Support
ISO 27001’s emphasis on incident readiness and business continuity enabled Aliva to:
- Operate a managed service desk and NOC (Network Operations Centre)
- Rapidly detect and respond to anomalies, access attempts, or outages
- Ensure service uptime through disaster recovery testing and backup governance
Strong Governance and Assurance
Aliva provided the Queensland Government with quarterly assurance reporting and audit-ready documentation that included:
- Evidence of compliance with ISO 27001 controls
- Evidence of compliance with addition controls from Australian Signals Directorate Information Security Manual
- Incident reports and root cause analysis
- Internal and external audit results with continuous improvement initiatives
The Outcome
- Zero Security Breaches: Since go-live, the QDL platform has experienced no critical security incidents under Aliva’s operational watch.
- Improved Response Time: Mean time to detect (MTTD) and resolve (MTTR) support issues improved by over 30% due to structured monitoring and escalation processes.
- Audit Confidence: Aliva’s ISO 27001 certification gave the Department and its stakeholders high confidence in the service provider’s maturity, leading to smoother project audits and security reviews.
- Scalability with Security: As the QDL program scales, Aliva’s ISO 27001-driven processes ensure that growth does not come at the cost of data security or platform resilience.
By embedding ISO 27001 into every layer of its managed services and operational support, Aliva has played a pivotal role in the secure delivery and ongoing success of the Queensland Digital Licence platform. The certification wasn’t just a checkbox—it served as a living framework that continues to ensure trust, agility, and resilience for one of Australia’s most progressive digital identity initiatives.
Client Feedback
“The Aliva team has consistently demonstrated a high level of professionalism and expertise in managing our digital identity services. Their proactive approach and commitment to excellence have significantly contributed to the success of our projects. We appreciate their responsiveness and the quality of their work, which has always met our expectations. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Aliva and achieving even greater success together.”
– Michelle Haywood, Executive Director, Customer Digital Identity Services Branch, Department of Transport and Main Roads
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