Microchip passport critics say ID theft possible
R.A. Hettinga
rah at shipwright.com
Mon Nov 22 15:52:29 EST 2004
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-11-22-hitech-passport_x.htm>
USA Today
Microchip passport critics say ID theft possible
The Associated Press
The United States hasn't issued any microchip-equipped passports yet, but
as the Department of State tests different prototypes, the international
standards for the passports are under fire from privacy advocates who worry
the technology won't protect travelers from identity thieves.
The American Civil Liberties union has raised alarms and even an executive
at one of the companies developing a prototype for the State Department
calls the international standards woefully inadequate.
The international standards for "electronic" passports were set by the
U.N.-affiliated International Civil Aviation Organization From owner-cryptography+cryptography-archive=metzdowd.com at metzdowd.com Tue Nov 23 11:42:54 2004
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Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 10:44:24 -0500
To: cryptography at metzdowd.com, cypherpunks at al-qaeda.net
From: "R.A. Hettinga" <rah at shipwright.com>
Subject: "Nonce Stamp": SRI International Receives Security Technology
Patent for Paper-based Transactions
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November 23, 2004 08:01 AM US Eastern Timezone
SRI International Receives Security Technology Patent for Paper-based
Transactions
MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 23, 2004--
"Nonce Stamp" Offers Many Applications, Including Electronically
Downloaded Airline Tickets, Travelers Checks, Passports, Postage, Legal
Documents, and Event and Movie Tickets
SRI International, a leading independent, nonprofit research institute
known for its pioneering innovations, today announced that it has been
issued a fundamental U.S. patent for its "nonce stamp" technology, which
can secure and authenticate paper documents against fraudulent creation and
use.
U.S. Patent No. 6,820,201 covers SRI's information-based indicia
technology for securing and authenticating paper documents. The SRI
technology addresses the security issues inherent in today's popular
"print-at-home" documents, such as postage and movie tickets, which can be
readily counterfeited.
The recently awarded patent and related pending SRI patents cover an
innovative use of a nonce (an element used to protect electronic
cryptography systems from being cracked) to protect paper-based documents.
The nonce is a unique number preprinted on a forgery-resistant material.
When the user wishes to print an article of value, such as a postage stamp,
the value of the nonce is combined with other information (e.g., the value
of the postage) and a digital certificate is created. The digital
certificate, in electronic or printed form, together with the nonce stamp,
provides cryptographically secure proof of the uniqueness and authenticity
of the certificate.
The inventors are laboratory director Patrick D. Lincoln, Ph.D., and staff
scientist Natarajan Shankar, Ph.D., of SRI's Computer Science Laboratory.
"Most paper currency and other documents that have monetary value include
security features to prevent fraud. SRI saw the need to also secure today's
popular "print-at-home" documents to eliminate forgery and counterfeiting,"
said Dr. Lincoln. "Nonce stamps are a way of creating unique physical
representations of digital certificates that are easily authenticated and
that cannot be forged."
About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International (www.sri.com) is one of the world's
leading independent research and technology development organizations.
Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI has been meeting the
strategic needs of clients for almost 60 years. The nonprofit research
institute performs contract research and development for government
agencies, commercial businesses and nonprofit foundations. In addition to
conducting contract R&D, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic
partnerships and creates spin-off companies.
Contacts
SRI International
Ellie Javadi, 650-859-4874
ellie.javadi at sri.com
--
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
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