Digital Rights Ireland

New Irish Passports have RFID chip

Despite the recent press attention to the launch of ‘biometric’ passports, not many reporters have focused on the fact that these new passports seem to include Radio Frequency ID (RFID) chips. From the Department of Foreign Affairs website (link)

“The chip technology allows the information stored in an Electronic Passport to be read by special chip readers at a close distance.”

The technology the Department of Foreign Affairs chose to protect the information in the chip from being read remotely (eavesdropped) by anyone within 5 metres (15 feet) is called Basic Access Control (BAC).

Basic Access Control is used by other countries, such as the Netherlands to protect their RFID Passports from eavesdroppers. However, a Dutch security testing lab called Riscure has examined the reliability of BAC and found that it is quite possible for a determined eavesdropper to break the control with a handheld reader, and an ordinary PC from within 5 metres. (Slides outlining this attack method)

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed to DRI that the new RFID passports are not issued with sequential numbers, which increases the security of the chip. However the US, which also uses BAC, has gone further by placing shielding equipment in the covers of the passports (essentially a metal foil layer).

“To further protect against skimming, the U.S. e-passport will include a shielding material in the passport cover that will make unauthorized reading of the passport very difficult from any appreciable distance as long as the passport is closed.” http://travel.state.gov/passport/eppt/eppt_2788.html

We will be enquiring as to whether the Department of Foreign Affairs intends to do likewise and attempt to keep our members informed. If any or our members or readers would like to contact us on this topic, or offer their help or expertise in addressing it contact Bernard Tyers at the contacts given here.

5 comments October 20th, 2006

New IRMA Legal Action

As before DRI support copyright holders’ efforts to protect and assert their rights. However the way in which IRMA has done so still leaves a number of questions unanswered.

Continue Reading 8 comments October 20th, 2006

WIPO Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Orgainisations: Update

The WIPO broadcast treaty (or Treaty on the protection of broadcasters, as is its official title) seems to have gone into retreat for the time being. The WIPO General Assemblies did not rubber stamp the recommendation to convene a diplomatic conference (to finalise the treaty). Instead, two meetings of the copyright committee (SCCR) will be held in January and June 2007 to revise the current treaty draft.

A diplomatic conference will be convened in November/December 2007 only if agreement is reached on amending the present draft to reflect a signal-based approach, the objectives, scope and object of protection of the proposed treaty. This means that the GA 2007 will have the opportunity to discuss it again and leaves open the possibility that the Diplomatic Conference may not be convened if there is no agreement.

Add comment October 20th, 2006