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Australian Passport Part 2

Sat, 29/12/2007 - 9:02pm — Paul Templeton

A couple of weeks ago I posed a similar question to Customs re the SmartGate and Biometrics. They are very easy to contact as the email went into vapor ware, I gave them a call to see where it when - I got to speak to the person who was going to action the request (They had been away). It still took a few weeks all up as they had to vet their response. At first they thought I was from the media??? Does it matter???

The email sums it all up - Customs only uses the information to validate the passport holder...once again they ran it by DFAT and the reply is still suspect. The thing that worries me is the telephone conversation that I had with Customs - they said the only real role DFAT has with boarder security is the making of passports, so why are DFAT so vague in relation to what the Biometrics are used for??? Below is a copy of the email sent and the reply...I have bolded the intresting part(s).

As you can see Customs statement is short but clear - We take a happy snap and compare it to the one on your passport - but of course DFATs is 'Using biometrict technology, the passport photo can be digitally compared with another facial image to check whether the two images are of the same person'. Once again who's image mine, yours or the entire naughty persons database???

smartgate@customs.gov.au
RE: Biometric Scanning (ePassport) [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Good afternoon Paul,
Thank you for your email.
The photograph in the ePassport is used by SmartGate for biometric matching purposes to confirm that the holder of the ePassport is the person presenting at SmartGate. It is used only for one-to-one matching.
I contacted the Australian Passport Office at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and they have supplied the following response to your questions.
A biometric system is an automated means of recognising someone by measuring a distinguishing physical trait. Australia's ePassport uses just one physical trait - your face. The information needed to generate the facial biometric information comes from the photograph supplied with a passport application. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade digitises the photograph you supply with your application and stores the digitised photo in their passports database and in a computer chip in your ePassport. Using biometric technology, the passport photo can be digitally compared with another facial image to check whether the two images are of the same person. This biometric is used for identity verification and for the detection of identity fraud. Most Australian Passport Offices have facilities available to enable applicants to view the information stored electronically on their ePassport. If you are interested in this service, please make an appointment with your local Australian Passport office.

The biometric chip and the electronic equipment used to write and read the chip have been manufactured to standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Only authorised officers within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have the ability to write your personal information on the chip in your ePassport. The ePassport incorporates security features to prevent anyone from changing or accessing this information. ICAO protection of this data is obtained through use of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. This technology provides assurance that data on the chip was put there by an authorised entity and has not been changed. The introduction of Australia's ePassport is as much about protecting the privacy of passport holders as it is about strengthening the integrity of the passport issuing and border control processes. If you require any further information on ePassports, please direct these to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at address: www.dfat.gov.au

I hope this satisfies your enquiry.

Regards,

Andrea Grazziadelli
SmartGate

 

From: Paul Templeton [mailto:paul@coffswifi.net]
Sent: Monday, 10 December 2007 12:55
To: SmartGate
Subject: Biometric Scanning (ePassport)

Hi Guys,
Could you answer some questions I have in relation to Biometrics'.
Your Website says the biometric information on my passport will be used at SmartGates to speed up the process of confirming identity. Quote from your website - 'Face recognition technology uses a mathematical formula to determine whether the live image of a person's face matches the image stored in the ePassport'.
And you make the statement on your website under the heading

What about my privacy?

'All personal data collected via SmartGate, (including the photograph), will be treated in the same way as information collected manually upon arrival. Customs takes steps to store personal information securely, prevent its unauthorised use and maintain its accuracy. Customs will only use or disclose the personal information for the purpose for which it was collected or as otherwise required or authorised by law, including where the information is required by other law enforcement or border control authorities.'

On the whole it looks pretty harmless, there are concerns though. Your statements in regards to the ePassport are vastly differ to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's passport office statements. I'm looking for clarity and I'm worried that there is a lot of smoke and mirrors.

On the passport application it states that you agree to - 'my photograph will be used for biometric matching purposes (biometric matching allows the passport photograph to be electronically compared with other facial images to confirm identity)'

Could you tell me who's facial images that mine will be compared to and if you do is there a place on your website that states this?

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's passport office also has this to say...

Facial Recognition Technology

Facial recognition technology uses measurements of the face to match an image against a 'gallery' of existing images. It is much more accurate than manual matching as a means of confirming identity. Electronic matching allows a facial image to be matched against a database containing millions of images. Electronic matching also allows a facial image to be matched against a watch list of images of known terrorists and other transnational criminals.

Could you tell me if you are doing this? The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's passport office says the primary reason for the ePassport is to protect my identity from being stolen, so why are these other statements being made? Who is it protecting?

To me this is an electronic version of a police line up. Am I under suspicion/guilty until proven???

Your feedback would be great,

Paul Templeton
0448515774

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Comments

Mon, 31/12/2007 - 7:43am — Ruben Hillier

out with the old ....

Old:
"Using mugshots of felons who are expected to leave the country, border security staff scan travellers faces for a match"

New:
"Using biometric technology, the passport photo can be digitally compared with another facial image to check whether the two images are of the same person"

Is it so different? Well, I suppose it is. The new method can be rolled out much more efficiently and if the software is broken (software is never broken) then mistakes can be much much more annoying. Hopefully they won't jump straight to the, 'large trapdoor at the security gate' stage. 

... so when are you flying Paul?   :)