Campaigns

The E-Passport

Is this the biggest privacy threat this year? If so, nominate it for a Big Brother Award!

Current Status

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is developing an electronic passport, featuring a facial biometric, at the request of the American Government.

Privacy advocates have raised concerns that the use of unencrypted RFID technology could allow both "skimming" and "eavesdropping" of identity information from e-passports. On 17 May 2005 the Australian Financial Review reported DFAT and other agencies around the world have been "forced back to the drawing board to reassess passport security".

Resources

• 6th APF Letter to DFAT re Passports Act Amendments (April 2005)
• The other 5 APF letters to DFAT are listed here on our Papers index page.
• www.rfidkills.com RFID Kills.com

Media Releases

• Letter in AFR re ePassport Security (14 April 2005) plus cartoon.

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Created: 24 May2005 - Last Amended: 18 January 2006 by Roger Clarke - Site Last Verified: 24 January 2005
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