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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.
...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...
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.