Tamper-free and forgery-proof passport and methods for providing same

Abstract

A smart passport comprising a smart inlay that includes a core substrate operative to store and exchange information contactlessly with an external reader, at least one physical security component coupled to the core substrate and operative to render the smart inlay and thereby the passport tamper-proof, and a logical security component incorporated in the core substrate and operative to render the smart inlay and thereby the passport forgery-proof. The physical security component is preferably selected from the group at least one tear line and at least one patterned adhesive, both operative to cause irreversible damage to the information storage and communication capabilities of the passport in case of tampering.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to tamper-free and forgery-proof identification documents, and in particular to smart passports. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Security, particularly at major airports has become a significant concern. No printable identification is currently available to positively identify a passenger with high reliability. No means is currently available to transmit such information securely and to associate that information with user specific permissions [0003] All passengers entering the USA have been required to bring a Machine Readable Travel Document (MTRD), i.e. a machine-readable passport since October 2003. Starting October 2004, the passport is required to contain biometric data that uniquely identifies its bearer. This turns the passport into a “smart” passport, which comprises a contactless chip that stores the personal biometric information as digital information. The chip is accessed contactlessly by a reader that retri...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present invention discloses a method and system for providing secure, tamper-free and forgery-proof smart documents, in particular smart passports. The present invention further discloses a smart inlay that has inventive physical security components or “features”, and which can be inserted into any standard passport, thereby turning it into a smart passport. The smart inlay of the present invention is functionally flexible in that provides full accommodation of existing and emerging standards in the filed of smart documents, in particular of smart passports. These standards will include requirements for global interoperability, technical reliability, practicality and durability. The emerging standards will most likely require a digital representation of personal biometric information on a contactless chip in the passport booklet or in a visa The digital representation will include data. The biometric representation may be that of a face and fingerprint or iris. The contactless chip may be made by a variety of manufacturers, according to the ISO 14443A / B or ISO 15693 standards. The booklet may include the smart inlay in its cover (using a cover substantially identical with that of existing, non-smart passports) or in a data page. In a visa, the visa sticker will contain the chip and its antenna.

[0018] According to the present invention there is provided a method for preventing tampering in a smart passport that includes a contactless chip physically connected to an antenna, comprising the steps of providing at least one physical security component operative to disconnect the chip from the antenna and using the at least one physical component to protect the smart passport form tamper attempts.

Problems solved by technology

No printable identification is currently available to positively identify a passenger with high reliability.

No means is currently available to transmit such information securely and to associate that information with user specific permissions

However, there is no encryption of the biometric information involved.

Since the carrier foil is only laminated in between the two paper webs, however, there is the danger that the layers can be separated from each other relatively easily so that the plastic inlay provided with the chip can be used for possible forgeries.

Further, this security element is a strictly machine-checkable security element that can only be checked by means of special detectors.

Since these processes and steps differ from each other, there is no “standardized” manufacturing of a smart passport.

No prior art solution is known to be a full solution that allows a regular passport to be transformed into a smart passport without requiring major production system changes and / or major fabrication step changes.

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