Biometric Passport from a Security Perspective

Abstract

Biometric passports, also known as ePassports, benefit from cryptographic mechanisms to guarantee their unforgeability. Since the first release of the ePassport standard, in 2004, the security of the biometric passports have been significantly improved. In this talk, we will review the cryptographic mechanisms used by the biometric passport and we will detail the past and current security weaknesses in terms of design, implementation, and use of these mechanisms. This talk will so address the following topics: security, cryptography, privacy, and contactless devices.