Boarding pass stub yields critical information

[rotornut]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/idcards/story/0,,1950226,00.html

[A2QFI]

It is organised by the Government or one of its Agencies, it uses computers and is touted as the best thing in security, ever. It follows that it will be an expensive SNAFU!

[SXB]

It's important to mention that the article just explains that such passports can be duplicated, it also explains that the encryption does not allow any of the details of the holder to be changed and this is the whole point of a biometric passport. At present most airports cannot handle biometric passports but soon they will.

The reason these types of passports were introduced was to stop them being used by someone other than the rightful owner whether duplicates or not, once all airports are equipped with, reliable, equipment capable of checking the passport against the owner this will be perfectly possible and the use of forged or duplicate passports will become a thing of the past.

The comparison made between the authentification process in passports and ATM cards is unfair, they are two entirely different types of technology used under very different circumstances.

[fyrefli]

It's important to mention that the article just explains that such passports can be duplicated, it also explains that the encryption does not allow any of the details of the holder to be changed and this is the whole point of a biometric passport. At present most airports cannot handle biometric passports but soon they will.

The reason these types of passports were introduced was to stop them being used by someone other than the rightful owner whether duplicates or not, once all airports are equipped with, reliable, equipment capable of checking the passport against the owner this will be perfectly possible and the use of forged or duplicate passports will become a thing of the past.

Explanation of why:

1) The Guardian have missed the point somewhat (and are a bit tardy to boot) and
2) You should still be concerned

here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/17/techie_reads_bio_passport_shock/

Oh, and there's more here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/10/fidis_budapest_mrtd_declaration/

Cheers,

Rich.