Your passport, now on your iPhone. Helpful or risky?

Posted on 14 November 2025, the Malwarebytes piece explains that Apple has launched Digital ID, a way for users in the US to create and present a government-issued ID in Apple Wallet using passport information, initially for TSA checkpoints at more than 250 airports. You add a Digital ID by scanning your physical passport and taking a selfie as part of a verification process, with the ID staying encrypted on the device and not shared with Apple.

To present it, you hold your iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader and confirm with Face ID or Touch ID, choosing which information is shared and never needing to unlock or hand over the device. At launch it’s TSA-only, with broader use by businesses, organisations and online services planned for later, and Digital ID does not replace a passport for international travel.

The piece notes several risks, including device dependency if you lose or have a stolen phone, potential for increased surveillance, and the possibility of biometric spoofing, while stressing that data is locally encrypted and access requires biometric authentication.