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."

Re:Great Idea - Already in use in certain areas

[Anonymous Coward]

Yep, and once someone works their way into the database, they'll know who you are and what you've been upto.

Dear Americans

[Anonymous Coward]

Thank you for making me pay extra dollars, just so I can enter your great country.

Yours,

New Zealand Citizen

Re:Great Idea - Already in use in certain areas

[Anonymous Coward]

John Q. Doe..

Bought 4 steaks
Left the ship at 3AM and came back at 7AM
Has a 4 week cruise package

I'm scared shitless.

Re:Dear Americans

[meowsqueak]

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.

Did he actually check your picture?

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit/ [zug.com] 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?

Re:Dear Americans

[alech]

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.

Re:Dear Americans

[taniwha]

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

Re:Great Idea - Already in use in certain areas

[Anonymous Coward]

"since the data is stored in a central registry, can't be easily falsified, like a current passport could be."

This statement is contrary to reality. If data is stored in a central registry, it can be easily (and untraceably) falsified by anyone with access to the central registry.

It can also be easily stolen by anyone with access to the central registry. The bigger the system, the more people have access to the central registry. With something like a national passport, a huge number of people get one convenient spot for all of their identity theft needs.

Re:Great Idea - Already in use in certain areas

[imipak]

Please, go away and read some Bruce Schneier. He's the one of the authors of the AES crypto suite, the one developed by/for the USG, amongst many other things, and he has some very interesting things to say about post-911 security. Go read some issues of Crypto-Gram - the Jan 2006 issue just came out - and realise how wrong you are. Never mind, well done, now you get it....

cost drop??

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:Great Idea - Already in use in certain areas

[Red Flayer]

"It is the one kind of transaction that cannot be stored, profiled, abused, and otherwise attached to your identity for all eternity."

Not so much as you'd think. I recently had to withdraw over $10k cash for employee holiday bonuses, and had to provide identification so that the bank could let the US Government know

(1) My name, address, and occupation (including full company name and job title)
(2) The fact that I had received over $10k cash
(3) The serial numbers of the bills I received

So, for now, they do trace cash, but only when transactions are over $10k. But, should an illegal cash activity happen, and a lot of the bills I received turn up in that transaction -- well, then I'm under suspicion.

There's a whole bunch more to this (like, if they suspect that the cash is illegal, and seize it, I have to sue to get it back). While the $10k limit seems reasonable (most people never handle that sum in cash), I disagree. I think eventually that limit will be $5k. Or $2k. Especially as the cost of information sotrage and transittal continues the decrease. Plus, with guaranteed inflation over the long run (considered necessary by government to stimulate investment spending), eventually that limit will be meaningless.