Online Secure Electronic Passport Scheme using Cryptographic Authentication Protocols and Biometrics Technology

Abstract

Electronic passports (e-Passports) have known a wide and fast deployment all around the world since the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) the world has adopted standards whereby passports can store biometric identifiers. The purpose of biometric passports is to prevent the illegal entry of traveler into a specific country and limit the use of counterfeit documents by more accurate identification of an individual. The e-passport, as it is sometimes called, represents a bold initiative in the deployment of two new technologies: Cryptography security and multiple biometrics (face, fingerprints, palm prints and iris). A passport contains the important personal information of holder such as photo, name, date of birth and place, nationality, date of issue, date of expiry, authority and so on.  The goal of the adoption of the electronic passport is not only to expedite processing at border crossings, but also to increase security. Important in their own right, e-passports are also the harbinger of a wave of next-generation e-passport: several national governments plan to deploy e-passport integrating cryptography algorithm and multiple biometrics. Researchers explore the privacy and security implications of this impending worldwide experiment in multiple biometrics authentication technology. Researcher describes privacy and security issues that apply to e-passports, and then analyze these issues in the context of the International Civil Aviation Organization standard for e-passports. An overall security process that involves people, technology and procedures can overcome limitations of the Cryptography security and multiple biometric technologies.