Articles of Interest

Global recession fuels ID fraud fears - Unisys

Approximately two thirds of people around the world think the global recession has put them at greater risk of identity theft and fraud, according to research from IT vendor Unisys. [more]

Experts warn of e-ID abuse

As debates have raged regarding the inclusion of an contactless smart card chips in Swiss passports containing the holder’s biometric information, experts such as Zurich’s Rapperswil Technical College professor of Internet technology Peter Heinzmann have spoken out on the potential for abuse, according to a Swiss Info article. [more]

U.S. CTO outlines nation's IT strategy

At a Churchill Club event held at the Computer History Museum in Menlo Park, Calif., United States CTO Aneesh Chopra describes President Obama's plan...
[more]

Identity is a simple idea that has become a complex problem

Identity has become complex due to fraud. Fraud, motivated by money, easy credit, and the ease of account takeover. Because identity has yet to be effectively established, anyone can be you.. [more]

Episode 27: The U.S. passport security gap

A General Accountability Office report details some serious holes in the U.S. State Department’s passport issuance. A GAO investigator was able to obtain four passport with fake breeder document information. [more]

Woman Uses Tape to Fool $44 Million Dollar Airport Security System

Japan's $44 million dollar security system, which was installed in 30 airports in 2007 to help improve security and prevent terrorists from entering Japan, has apparently been circumvented by a South Korean woman using tape applied to her fingers. [more]

UK pushes airport facial recognition

The UK Border Agency is urging passengers to use new facial recognition gates available at Stansted airport.
[more]

"Fakeproof" e-passport is cloned in minutes

The Times Online reports that those microchipped passports the UK gov't boasted would be impossible to fake "can be cloned and manipulated in minutes and accepted as genuine by the computer software recommended for use at international airports." [more]

No love for Darling as 25m people's personal information lost

LONDON - After five rollercoaster months in the job, Britain's finance minister Alistair Darling could well be wondering what's next. [more]

Stealing Data Via Electrical Outlet

"NetworkWorld reports that security consultants Andrea Barisani and Daniele Bianco are preparing to unveil their methodology at the Black Hat USA conference for stealing information typed on a computer keyboard using nothing more than the power outlet to which the computer is connected. When you type on a standard computer keyboard, electrical signals run through the cable to the PC. [more]

Shaky security of Swiss biometric passports

A test report by the Swiss supervisory authority for communications (Bundesamt für Kommunikation (Bakom) says the Swiss E-Pass reader system is not proof against interception. [more]

Expert warns e-passports are open to abuse

Plans for a new passport have sparked debate over the inclusion of an electronic chip containing biometric details, and the creation of a central fingerprint database. [more]

Authentication Factors

Regarding the usage of "traditional" account information (name, address, birthdate...) as authentication factor, I guess we can say that, at least in Finextra Community, we know that this type of data has been compromised long before being put on the spot by the successive data breaches. [more]

We need clearer thinking about privacy and security

There's still not enough clear thinking about the nature of personal information being traded and lost online. Not all information is the same! [more]

Elvis, your e-passport is ready!

E-passports not only threaten your personal safety traveling, the RFID chips are easy to clone and fake. How easy? Here’s the picture of Elvis Presley’s e-passport: [more]

RFID passports: a tragedy waiting to happen

You’re strolling in the south if France when a van stops, men burst out and in seconds hustle you into the van. “American scum!” they hiss as they hood you. But wearing a Sorbonne t-shirt and no fanny pack, how did they know? Thank your government - and a bad storage choice. [more]

ID card scheme is fundamentally flawed and should be shelved

TSSI Systems says it is not enough for the home secretary to only scrap plans to make ID cards compulsory, the whole scheme should go. “The scheme has been ill conceived from the start. Apart from the outrageous costs, people’s privacy is still at risk,” said John Barker, General Manager, TSSI Systems Ltd. [more]

Trust Me – smart starts with authenticity

Dr. Nick Morgan has certainly earned his place as one of America’s top communication theorists and coaches. Starting out with a PhD in literature and rhetoric, Nick next took on political speech writing, had a career teaching public speaking at several prestigious Universities and then added to his experience by launching his own successful consultancy helping Fortune 50 CEO’s achieve success in front of audiences.[more]