>From today's NextGov.com:
No Passing Grade For e-Passport
By Emily Long 06/15/10 05:08 pm ET
The technology behind e-Passports, the relatively recent identity document
upgrade to include biometrics and other personal information, may not be safe
from terrorists, counterfeiters and other malicious attacks. In fact, data
security has been a key concern about e-Passports for several years.
The Center for Public Integrity reports that the Government Printing Office,
which oversees the production of e-Passports, has been warned by its inspector
general that the Thai factory where the documents are produced is subject to
threats from poor police protection and political instability. The IG found
that GPO lacks plans and procedures to protect these technologies from outside
threats.
Workers in Thailand put together the computer chips that go into blank
e-Passports. The chips store all the information included on the passport's
photo page, as well as a digital photo that can be scanned for facial
recognition. The technology was first conceived following the Sept. 11 attacks
and began to be rolled out in 2006, according to the article.
The State Department has cautioned that fraud is possible with e-Passports, as
fake chips can be inserted in place of real ones. And security experts say that
the technology isn't doing much to protect U.S. borders anyway. The center
reports that weak manufacturing security and limited use of card readers in
airports and other entry points limits e-Passports' utility.
GPO has said that they are doing everything possible to prevent security
breaches, and none have been reported so far. The agency also plans to move
e-Passport production to the United States this year.
