Biometrics and eCards

Donnerstag, 12. Juli 2007

Biometric systems realize the automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioural and biological characteristics and thus exploit the rich set of anatomical characteristics related to the structure of the body (face, finger, etc.). In various industrial environments the visual recognition of individuals based on facial photographs is a well established method, to realize access control.

Biometrics can play an important role in connection with the Electronic Passport and European Citizen Cards. On a European level the EU-Council regulations on standards for security features and biometrics in EU citizens' passport has defined the timeline for the introduction of digital face and fingerprint images in all future European passports. The passport photo as being already an integral part of the passport for the last decades, is now been stored electronically in every new German passport issued since October 2005. From November 2007 on, the data on the passport will be extended for electronic fingerprints. As soon as a wide percentage of citizens is equipped with the new ePass it will boost biometrics supported border controls.

3D face recognition and multi-biometrics, currently two hot topics in the academic and industrial research laboratories, offer greater reliability. Improvements can be expected not only with regard to fake resistance but also with regard to biometric performance. The workshop on July 12 will investigate biometric technology research in this field and discuss the application of biometrics in electronic passports and its use in the context of secure travel processes. Furthermore it will be analyzed to which extend current ISO-standards are sufficient in order to establish open systems with interoperable data formats.

The workshop is jointly organized by CAST, the German Federal Office for Information Security, the expert group BIOSIG inside the Gesellschaft für Informatik and the 3DFace research consortium.

Freitag, 13. Juli 2007

Das Bundeskabinett hat am 9. März 2005 die Eckpunkte für eine gemeinsame eCard-Strategie beschlossen, wonach die unterschiedlichen Projekte der Bundesregierung mit Kartenbezug insbesondere die elektronische Gesundheitskarte (eGK), der elektronische Personalausweis (ePA), der elektronische Reisepass (ePass), die elektronische Steuererklärung (ELSTER) und das Jobcard-Verfahren (ELENA) aufeinander abgestimmt werden sollen, um dadurch die elektronische Authentisierung und die qualifizierte elektronische Signatur auf Chipkarten unterschiedlicher Ausprägung in einheitlicher Weise nutzen zu können. Vor diesem Hintergrund sollen der aktuelle Stand der Umsetzung und Perspektiven im Rahmen eines Workshops beleuchtet werden. Hierzu werden Entscheider und Experten der öffentlichen Hand, Vertreter der Wirtschaft und Wissenschaftler ihren Standpunkt darstellen.