AI Identity Verification E-Learning 'ONLINE FACE®' Wins Gold at Cybersecurity Excellence Awards 2026

The AI identity verification e-learning system 'ONLINE FACE®', provided by Academia Japan Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Sun Kikuchi), has won the Gold Award in the Identity and Access Management (IAM) category at the 'Cybersecurity Excellence Awards 2026', a global cybersecurity awards program.

■ Award Overview
2026 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards
Award Category: Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Award Rank: Gold Award
Winning Product: AI Identity Verification E-Learning System 'ONLINE FACE®'

■ The Globally Growing Importance of 'Digital Identity Verification' and the Evaluation of ONLINE FACE®
In recent years, with the spread of online education, remote work, and digital administrative services, 'Identity' and 'Access Management' have become critical themes in the global cybersecurity market.

Driven by the evolution of generative AI and the expansion of online services, risks such as spoofing, unauthorized access, proxy attendance, and fraudulent credential acquisition are increasing year by year. The demand for technologies that enable robust identity verification and fraud prevention is growing rapidly.

In the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards, the IAM and AI security fields are among the most closely watched categories, with cybersecurity and technology companies worldwide competing in technological innovation.

During this year's judging, 'ONLINE FACE®' was highly commended for establishing an advanced adaptive model (continuous identity assurance) that verifies identity in real-time and continuously throughout the entire training session, going beyond temporary verification at login.

Its overwhelming uniqueness and practicality as an identity verification solution specialized for online education, training, and national certification courses were recognized, leading to the Gold Award.

■ Identity Verification Solution Adopted in Government and National Certification Sectors
ONLINE FACE® is deployed in areas requiring high accuracy in identity verification and strict attendance management, including online academic instruction at designated driving schools, statutory training, national certification courses, and corporate training.

To date, it has accumulated numerous track records in government-regulated certification programs and training sectors in Japan, contributing to both ensuring the quality of learning in online environments and improving operational efficiency.

Furthermore, the technologies related to ONLINE FACE® have acquired multiple international patents in Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Taiwan. The company is advancing its development as a unique identity infrastructure with an eye toward expansion into the global market.

■ Organizer's Comment
"We sincerely congratulate ONLINE FACE® on winning the Gold Award in the Identity and Access Management category at the 2026 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.

Selected by an independent panel of judges consisting of cybersecurity practitioners, analysts, and CISOs, this award highlights the crucial role that innovative security solutions play in strengthening cybersecurity in organizations worldwide."
Holger Schulze
Founder, Cybersecurity Insiders
Organizer, Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

■ Comment from CEO Sun Kikuchi
Sun Kikuchi, CEO, Academia Japan Inc.
We are extremely honored to receive the Gold Award at the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards.
ONLINE FACE® has been continually developed under the philosophy of 'achieving reliability equivalent to face-to-face interaction, even online.'
In recent years, while education, certifications, and training are increasingly moving online, the importance of identity verification and fraud prevention has become greater than ever.
This award is a proof that our technology is recognized from an international perspective and serves as a great encouragement.
Through the evolution of AI verification technology, we will continue to contribute to building safer and more reliable online education and verification infrastructures, striving to enhance the credibility of learning and certification systems globally.

■ About ONLINE FACE®
'ONLINE FACE®' is an e-learning system capable of automatically conducting identity verification and fraud prevention in online environments using the world's first proprietary AI patented technology.

By meeting certain standards set by various ministries and agencies, it is widely adopted for national certification-related statutory training and exams, as well as for the DX and going online of entrance education and safety training at factories and construction sites, and internal corporate training.

It eliminates the need for conventional setup for each session, securing instructors' time, and travel time for attendees, thus serving as a tool that comprehensively achieves cost reduction and productivity improvement.

■ Unique Patented Technology of 'ONLINE FACE®'
During an online course, the timing of identity verification is not set at regular intervals. Instead, a proprietary algorithm automatically performs verification multiple times in the background of the system at random timings.

Verification may occur two or three times within a minute, or once every three minutes; the timing changes every time a course is taken.

Because attendees do not know when the identity verification will take place, they are compelled to take the course with a moderate sense of tension and strictness, even online.

In the unlikely event of leaving the seat, spoofing, falling asleep, etc., an authentication error warning is displayed on the user's screen. If re-authentication cannot be completed within the time limit, the system is designed to temporarily suspend the session, return to the beginning of the lecture, or revert to the last point of successful authentication.

■ Key Features of 'ONLINE FACE®'
- High-accuracy, automatic identity verification and fraud prevention using proprietary AI technology
- Comprehensive management of application, payment, attendance, exams, surveys, and digital certificates
- Customizable required functions and support for CSV/API integration with existing systems
- Easy implementation without the need to download dedicated equipment or apps
- Courses can be taken from anywhere in the country, providing equal learning opportunities for regional residents
- Stable operation possible even during emergencies such as weather events, disasters, and infectious diseases