Title: Security and privacy in electronic passports

Authors: Flora S. Tsai

Addresses: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Block S2, 639798, Singapore

Abstract: In recent years, many countries have adopted electronic passport systems, which merge the technologies of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or contactless smart card and biometric identification. This paper describes various security issues applied to electronic passports and analyses the technology being implemented, with case studies of electronic passport systems in various countries. The case studies include the security measures that each country has taken to secure the electronic passports, as well as how the breach of security takes place. This has implications on how security can be improved as more countries are adopting electronic passports.

Keywords: electronic passports; RFID; radio frequency identification; biometrics; security; privacy; e-passports; contactless smart card; biometric identification.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBM.2011.039414

International Journal of Biometrics, 2011 Vol.3 No.2, pp.114 - 127

Published online: 24 Jan 2015 *

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