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The_Real_Gandalf Trusted SF Member
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 0 Location: Athens,Greece
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:19 am Post subject: Biometric passports issued for Greeks.. |
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On 9.1.06 all Greek citizens are going to be provided with the new biometric passports.At the end of 2006 (31.12.06) all old passports will be considered as invalid.
Those passports will include a micro-chip which will contain all personal data of the owner (possible to contain also blood type!!), a fingerprint and bar code.
This action is bringing up a series of questions which are troubling the whole Western World and not only us. HOW SAFE IS TO HAVE SUCH A PAPER IN HAND?
This official document would be something that will include 90% of its owners data. Such a "data vault" it is for sure going to be a possible target for malicious persons and attempts.
concern no1.
Chip is supposed to be scanned over 20cm distance and not by close contact with scanner. Such a case, could mean trouble as a person with a hand scanner could easilly read data , from that small book. Cover is not made out of led , and it could be accessible to anyone.
concern no2.
If this paper is placed near an electro-magnetic device, would it be erased and make the paper invalid? Imagine , setting the passport in the bag and over it a cell phone. You could easilly get then in trouble for possible counterfiting an official document.
Concern no3.
Lost or someone steals it. Even if you do make a police report for its lose, data would still remain in there and the person who gets it , will have fingerprint , address, name, color of underwear perhaps,....etc...
With those data, he can easily make a fake police id and get access , maybe to bank records or worse, publish a check book under your name...gulp!!
Concern no4.
Privacy.
All data are to be remained in authorities lists, for indefinite time. This means that Electronical record will be formed for each individual on where, how, when he was making a trip or any other action.
Travel agencies, are also going to have those databases as they too , are using passports for several actions (rent rooms, cars, tickets,etc. )
A well trained cracker , hacker could easilly bypass security (not sufficient ones in Greece) and get that database by web or even by using physical methods, and gain a significant data treasure , to exploit.
Once again Greece is making a false move to proceed to such actions , without first ensuring that this measure has the proper security standards to ensure its integrity.
Comments please...
Gandalf
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moondoggie Lurker
Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 19
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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i think schneier wrote about this and said that these chips can be read from something like 500 feet but they were supposedly making some form of shielding to prevent this. hopefully they perfect the shielding before they "go live".
also, what happens if you lose your passport? will the chip turn itself off somehow? probably not.
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PhiBer SF Mod
Joined: 11 Mar 2003 Posts: 20 Location: Your MBR
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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Are you surprised? First you won't be able to travel without these biometric passports. Next people will either begin losing them, they will be stolen, or for "convience" sake, chips will be implanted into the arm that will contain all data needed to buy, sell, and travel. You will no longer need multiple credit cards, a passport, a drivers license, a birth certificate or other identification information.
People will first be affraid of getting these chip implants, but eventually, it will become the norm. For the sake of "national security" and convience, people will be willing to get a quick and easy chip, the size of grain of rice implanted into their arms.
Sounds like Revelation chapter 13, no?
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Secure Lockdown Just Arrived
Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 2
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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i don't know much about the technology. but i kind of think concern #2 is a non-issue. i can't see them deploying such a fragile technology.
(mind you, sometimes those .gov people aren't that bright, so anthing is possible).
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RFmax Trusted SF Member
Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Posts: 4
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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I also was wondering about the shielding issue. And I had heard there was some mention of requiring a two part authentication to validate the passport to the person. Does that appear to be in place?
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meles meles Just Arrived
Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 0 Location: underground
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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Of course, 'oomans, an alternative is to have a data barcode tattooed on your forehead. It works in for us !
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AdamV SF Mod
Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Posts: 24 Location: Leeds, UK
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:54 am Post subject: |
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surely the whole point of all the biometric info etc is that someone would validate your actual data (eg by scanning your face / retina / fingerprint) and comp[aring against the stored info. Having the stored (+ encrypted) data alone would not let someone use this to open a bank account anymore than the current type of non-bio passport would.
"Ah, I see that you are in fact Mr. Smith, because it says so in your passport. You look nothing like him, Miss, but it must be OK. And yes, these are Mr. Smith's encoded fingerprints alright, they match the ones in the database, so despite obvious external appearances you must in fact be Mr. Smith because you are carrying this document, even though these fingerprints are not the same as the ones on the end of your hands..."
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