26-04-2012, 12:45 PM
The Electronic Passport and the Future of Government-Issued
RFID-Based Identification
pdf.pdf (Size: 221.58 KB / Downloads: 226)
INTRODUCTION
Travel among countries and security concerns are
driving efforts to improve the identification and
passport documents. The international community is
debating policy and technologies regarding electronic
approaches such as radio-frequency identification (RFID)
devices. To facilitate travel, the twenty-seven member
nations participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
require standardized passport documents [1] based on
standards determined by the International Civil Aviation
organization (ICAO). The threat of terrorism increases the
need for positive identification and anti-counterfeiting. The
challenge facing immigration officials today is simple: How
do they know that the person carrying the passport is
actually the rightful owner of the passport? A 2” X 2”
photograph of the owner only provides so many clues as to
the answer to this question and photographic means have
security limitations.
Political Timeline for Biometric/Electronic Passports
The 9/11 attacks on the U.S. pushed national security to
the forefront of American politics. As the U.S. began its
invasion of Afghanistan and assault on the ruling Taliban
regime, Congress and the executive branch searched for
holes in the nation’s intelligence and security infrastructure.
Simultaneously with its pursuit of the Patriot Act, the federal
government sought both policy and technology-based
solutions to the porous border issue. The Enhanced Border
Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 set, among
numerous other items,
Changes to Passport Design
The first major requirement instituted by the ICAO and
subsequently by the United States was the inclusion of a
machine-readable zone (MRZ) on the passport. Through the
use of optical character recognition hardware and software,
a computer can read and capture the data printed in the
MRZ, eliminating the need for an immigration or customs
officer to manually enter and confirm a portion of the data
contained on the passport.
SECURITY OBSTACLES
Among the greatest concerns of security and privacy
watchdog groups is the idea that an unscrupulous individual
could “skim,” or secretly steal from a distance, the data
stored on an electronic passport or other identity document's
RFID chip. While it is unclear what purpose this might
serve, Americans have learned through the rise in identity
theft that they must keep personal information as close as
possible.
CONCLUSION
The implementation of electronic passport has not been
without challenges, and some continue to challenge the use
of contactless technology in the passport and other identity
documents. Privacy groups voiced substantial concerns
about the means by which the data and picture are stored,
and questions regarding the effectiveness of the biometric
technology still remain. At the same time, other government
agencies have chosen different technologies for securing
their identity documents, and new opinions on the use of
RFID for identity purposes have been formed. Congress has
set arbitrary deadlines for implementations without
understanding the technological challenges involved.
RFID-Based Identification
pdf.pdf (Size: 221.58 KB / Downloads: 226)
INTRODUCTION
Travel among countries and security concerns are
driving efforts to improve the identification and
passport documents. The international community is
debating policy and technologies regarding electronic
approaches such as radio-frequency identification (RFID)
devices. To facilitate travel, the twenty-seven member
nations participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
require standardized passport documents [1] based on
standards determined by the International Civil Aviation
organization (ICAO). The threat of terrorism increases the
need for positive identification and anti-counterfeiting. The
challenge facing immigration officials today is simple: How
do they know that the person carrying the passport is
actually the rightful owner of the passport? A 2” X 2”
photograph of the owner only provides so many clues as to
the answer to this question and photographic means have
security limitations.
Political Timeline for Biometric/Electronic Passports
The 9/11 attacks on the U.S. pushed national security to
the forefront of American politics. As the U.S. began its
invasion of Afghanistan and assault on the ruling Taliban
regime, Congress and the executive branch searched for
holes in the nation’s intelligence and security infrastructure.
Simultaneously with its pursuit of the Patriot Act, the federal
government sought both policy and technology-based
solutions to the porous border issue. The Enhanced Border
Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 set, among
numerous other items,
Changes to Passport Design
The first major requirement instituted by the ICAO and
subsequently by the United States was the inclusion of a
machine-readable zone (MRZ) on the passport. Through the
use of optical character recognition hardware and software,
a computer can read and capture the data printed in the
MRZ, eliminating the need for an immigration or customs
officer to manually enter and confirm a portion of the data
contained on the passport.
SECURITY OBSTACLES
Among the greatest concerns of security and privacy
watchdog groups is the idea that an unscrupulous individual
could “skim,” or secretly steal from a distance, the data
stored on an electronic passport or other identity document's
RFID chip. While it is unclear what purpose this might
serve, Americans have learned through the rise in identity
theft that they must keep personal information as close as
possible.
CONCLUSION
The implementation of electronic passport has not been
without challenges, and some continue to challenge the use
of contactless technology in the passport and other identity
documents. Privacy groups voiced substantial concerns
about the means by which the data and picture are stored,
and questions regarding the effectiveness of the biometric
technology still remain. At the same time, other government
agencies have chosen different technologies for securing
their identity documents, and new opinions on the use of
RFID for identity purposes have been formed. Congress has
set arbitrary deadlines for implementations without
understanding the technological challenges involved.