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E-Passport System Test This Week
An anonymous reader writes "ZDNet has a story covering another Homeland Security test of the E-Passport system, a biometric program designed to stop counterfeit identification." From the article: "The passports contain biometric information such as a digital photo, as well as biographic information. The technology being tested promises to read and verify the electronic data when those carrying the e-passports attempt entry into the countries via participating airports. U.S. diplomats, Australian and New Zealand citizens and Singapore Airlines officials are among those who have been issued the e-passports. These people will also undergo normal screening procedures at the international airports."
I've had encounters with similar systems to this E-Passport just recently on my honeymoon cruise. My wife and I were each issued a "Sea Pass" card, which didn't have our picture on it, but had our names printed on it, and a magnetic swipe. Whenever we wanted to buy anything on the ship, we would swipe our card and it would identify us and no cash was needed throughout the entire cruise. For shore excursions, we swiped our cards as we left, and it noted that we no longer were on the boat, keeping track of everyone out on shore excursions and what not. On our return, we swiped our cards, it pulled up for the security guard our information as well as a picture, which he was able to verify our identity with, and let us back on the boat. I'm glad for this, as it stops people from trying to steal those cards, as they are useless if your not the same person, and since the data is stored in a central registry, can't be easily falsified, like a current passport could be. I like the idea of an E-Passport, as it can guarantee a person's identity a lot more easily then a traditional passport, which can be forged easily enough these days with all the technology out there, as well as making travel safer in foreign countries, as well as for our own country. I can't wait though for them to implement something such as an RFID tag inside of these, so we can just walk through customs, having it tally up all our items purchased, collecting duties as we walk, and have the whole ordeal be a lot less painless, instead of having to wait in long lines while you get questioned over and over... would be nice to just have the RFID tag identify you as you go through a turnstile, and have that be the end of customs... Either way, this is going to make travel a lot easier and safer...
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Yeesh, as a holder of an Australian Passport, it looks like I arrived in the US just in time to avoid being used as a guinea pig in the test, being falsely identified as a terrorist suspect when it malfunctions and being locked away for an undetermined number of years without trial ;P
Remind me to buy lots of Gummi Bears at the Tax-Free Shop ;-)
People say I'm crazy, I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes...
The biometric chip may be ultra-hard to forge, but the human element attached to it isn't. Remember the T-Mobile hacking incident with celeberties? It wasn't the hardware at fault, but the hardware's human masters. There will be a human making these passports, typing in the name, and writing the info to the chip. If the human is given bad information (Drivers License, Birth Cert, etc,) the information written to the chip will be bad, and voila - system failed: forged info on the chip. Even if the fingerprints and iris scans are correct, the name will be wrong and terror watch lists consist mosty of names and pictures - we all know how reliable that can be.
Windows has detected an undetectable error.
...a biometric program designed to stop counterfeit identification...
Yeah, we wouldn't want to stop counterfeits, or identify them. As long as we stop counterfeit identification, we can proudly announce to the nation that there are no counterfeit passports.
Exactly the reason why I would NOT want this!
...a biometric program designed to stop counterfeit identification... I guess we're doing too good of a job identifying those counterfeits right now...
Actually, it makes no difference if NZers decide to visit the USA or not. The passport upgrade is (eventually) mandatory for all NZ citizens who want to carry one, because there's no such thing as a separate NZ passport for US entry. So the original poster is correct - we're all paying far, far more for our new passports. Let's hope these new passports operate smoothly and speed up international transitions.
Going from Ireland to the US you currently have to get a retina scan taken and recorded and a finger print done and also recorded. (of course no mention of how long this data will be retained for is given, most likely permanently (or atleast until the next revolution)). On top of that the assholes doing the privacy invasion charge you for the privilege.
Land of the free...
Well, if you're Australian, then we already know you're a criminal...
This is not necessarely true all the time (or for all people): as a spanish citizen who has an "old-model" passport, I would have to either 1) get a visa to enter in the USA or 2) get a new passport, regardless my current one is valid until 2015. Then in my case, I need to get a new passport if I want to have the benefit of the visa waiver agreement between Spain and the USA. By the way, the spanish passport issuing offices have posters saying something like "If you want to go to the USA, you probably need to get a new passport".
So say we all
http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/ describes one guy's attempts to get someone (anyone) to actually look at his credit card signature. So when I hear about the "picture and information" that the security guard is supposed to be looking at, I have my reservations, especially when he probaly has to process at least 3/4 of the ship in that day. Did he actually check your picture to see that you were the real owner, or did he just waive you through?
Yeah, same in NZ, which is why I said 'eventually' :)
Well IBM had come up with privacy preserving authentication some time ago. MIT Tech review article
Since when was it unsafe? Unless of course you're one of those dumbasses who wears bright white sneakers and a fanny (!!) pack when travelling to foreign countries...
People say I'm crazy, I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes...
Mag stipes now, RFIDs later. They'll be merged with driver's licences. You'll have to show them to vote ( to preent voter fraud of course ). It's a slippery slope.
I'd like to welcome our new masters, but I'm not sure who they will be. They will surely know who I am though...
OK, so who modded the parent up? I doubt that a retina scan is taken if you go from Ireland to the US. Let's see, who wrote it? An AC without any source. Oh yes, I am bound to believe this. As someone working in biometrics, I can tell you that retina scans are basically from old Bond movies. Noone really uses them anymore. The AC might have mistaken them with iris scans, which is something completely different and less dangerous (as a normal photo is taken). But still, I doubt that, as the "normal" procedure for US-VISIT is facial image and fingerprint. I have no idea why this should be different for Irish citizens.
I can't wait for the Ambassador to Iraq being detained as a terrorist suspect on arriving in Washington...
Any day now we'll hear the news.
That will make it clear how good the system is (insert sarcasm tag here)
Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
"The Department will also implement Basic Access Control (BAC) to mitigate further any potential threat of skimming or eavesdropping. [...] BAC utilizes a form of Personal Identification Number (PIN) that must be physically read in order to unlock the data on the chip. In this case, the PIN will be derived from the printed characters from the second line of data on the Machine-Readable Zone that is visibly printed on the passport data page. The BAC also results in the communication between the chip and the reader being encrypted, providing further protection."
It's worth noting that the New Zealand passports do not have this implemented; all data is transferred in the clear.
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." - Revelation 13:16-18
Now that's a great idea!
The whole thing of being finger printed and retina scanned by the $%@wipe American government is disgusting. What gives that country the right to index everybody who needs to get a hub connection via the States?
I really don't want to visit the states or even fly via Los Angeles, the international hub airport purely because I do not want to be biometrically scanned, especially by a dangerous nation so willing to give George Bush (the communist) their support.
Interesting the comment about flying from Ireland to the US and paying for the priviledge of being extra scanned.. In Australia any new major roads are now toll roads, built and run by private industry. In fact council parking meters and the associated fines will soon be owned and run by private industry. And guess what, Australian banks make more income from penalties than they do in account fees!!
We are in a new world where security and integrity are no longer important. Instead, creating industries and controlling individuals is important!
Governments are not interested in supporting the people, instead they are selling out the people to private industry! Yet is any nation paying less tax as a result of being sold out?
that's OK - it works both ways, we wont require the e-passports, but we are ordering extra anal-probes to handle the um backlog
As an Australian citizen I just got one of these a month ago. I don't know what they are talking about biometric data being stored, I did not submit a thumbprint or undergo an Iris scan. It was just a regular passport application with only my name etc, so unless the government already has this information on file which I'm sure they don't. This e-passport is just a normal passport with my information on the chip.
Look over their, it's a grammar nazi
I DO NOT want to go/come to the USA because of the current regime (not the average septic ;o) ), however, I have still been forced to have one of these passports.
I called up the passport office to ask what would happen if I was in a foreign country and the chip failed, the answer:
"It will not happen".
I called twice, same f%&kin' answer!
I went into some detail about microwaves etc, but the monkette on the end of the phone was as dumb as dog do do, so it was a waste of time.
She did however say that
"...it can get damaged by being put through the wash...",
To which I interrupted:
Monkette: "So, it can get damaged?"
Monkette: "[Whoops mumble mumble] Only if you do the wrong thing with it. If you damaged normal passport you would have to get it replaced".
Me: "True, but I can at least see any physical damage to the passport. How can I tell if the chip is dead?"
Monkette: "They will check it before you board a flight"
Me: "So will I still be able to board?"
Monkette: "Probably not"
Me: "So, there goes my holiday?"
Monkette: "[mumble mumble]. It can't get damaged."
Me: "But you just told me it could!"
Monkette: "[Whoops mumble mumble]. You get a list of things which can damage it when you recieve it. [The End. That's the law. Tough shit. I care not.]"
F%4k You Alexander Downer! Arsehole!
From an Aussie/Pom who stupidly missed the non-epassport boat by a week(!) and ironically is going to use the passport for the first time to go to NZ.
It's actually worse than this - by requiring NZ to issue e-passports - the US is forcing EVERY NZer who gets a passport to get one whether they are travelling to the US or not - at $150 a pop it's a tax (used to be half that) the US is in essence applying to all of us who want to travel. I know most USAians don't have passports and don't travel much, but the rest of us like to and do it a lot
Whoops: Monkette: "So, it can get damaged?" Should have read: Me: "So, it can get damaged?"
The USA isn't requiring anyone but itself to issue these new passports. However, it's promised more hassle to travelers without the new passports in the near future. There are a few other countries that have signed on as well. Thus, NZ has reached the conclusion that it's better to issue the new passports, easing a major segment of it's international traveler's transitions.
And cost should drop with time as well.
I don't read AC A human right
Laff, Bush a communist.
i doubt the price of the passports will ever drop for the traveller.
The increase to $150 (from $80) for the new passports can in no-way be explained by additional manufacturing costs for the passports.
It's just a nasty excuse to get more money out of New Zealanders. The entire travel industry tries to rip you off constantly, this is just one more (official) way they do it.
I can't really see how the tags can speed anything up. They still have to open up your passport as you go through the gates, and have to spend time staring at your face for an uncomfortably long time.
I don't really mind RFID card in my passport, but combining with an unjustified price-hike is pretty rude.
Last time I took an international flight, I had a layover in a foreign country. I did not need to cross customs, security, or anything since I was flying straight out on another international flight.
I am not sure if all airports are the same, but I would imagine so. Just because you fly through a foreign country, does not mean you have to pass through their customs.
Colonel Cranium this is Rectal Reconnaissance, we are on a collision course sir, Abort Abort!
In the US you do.
Even if in transit all passengers entering the US must first clear immigration, then pick up their baggage, clear customs before moving on to their transit flight.
From recent experience flying into Philly:
1) Entering the US from Europe, you will be fingerprinted from both hands, and have your face photographed with what looks like a logitech webcam at passport control. It's not a retina scan though.
2) Retina identification is used in Europe in place of passports, although it's voluntary. SAS and other airlines operating out of Sweden have a frequent traveller programme where you can register your retinal scan with them once, and then when you fly next time you simply walk up to a machine that looks a bit like HAL, stick your eye against it, and it lets you straight past without a customs officer checking your passport.
bottom line - why passports in the first place? a fundamental discussion of this would help the specific discussion about RFID tags in passports/ biometric data etc. Probably we'd find the same general arguments coming out? - true identity, state monitoring of individuals, notification of individuals convicted of criminal activity passing state borders? might be worth tunnelling down to the basic discussion about the concept and purposes of passports...
I DO NOT want to go/come to the USA because of the current regime (not the average septic ;o) ), however, I have still been forced to have one of these passports.
Indeed, here in the UK, biometric passports are being introduced "because they're needed for the US".
As for damaged cards - the UK's planned ID card (which will also be a passport) will even require you to notify the authorities if it is damaged, or you will face up to 51 weeks in prison ( http://www.defy-id.org.uk/bill_guide.htm ).
I called up the passport office to ask what would happen if I was in a foreign country and the chip failed, the answer:
"It will not happen".
If you are barred from leaving your country/entering a foreign country, that statement would be true. How that could be so may be because you ask too many questions about passport security devices.
Perhaps you found out more than you'd intended.
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
The security of biometrics has been discussed before here. Biometrics are not as safe or as authentic as they sound. There are two easy ways to fool biometric systems:
1. Create a reasonable facsimile of the biometrics that the target reader will accept. There is James Bond movie where he used a glass eye with the correct retina pattern in it.
2. Capture the digital stream of ones and zeroes that corresponds to a particular biometric and find where to plug that into the authentication process to have the identity accepted.
Additionally, unlike passwords, if your biometrics are compromised you can't change them (unless you resort to nasty surgery).
Finally, if you are injured or have surgery for medical reasons and your biometrics are changed, how will you prove who you are?