RegardingID Archive | Israelis debate biometric ID cards

Friday, March 13, 2009

Israeli citizens are debating whether biometric identity cards are a good idea or not, according to a Haaretz.com news report.

The Israeli legislature passed the law last October, days before dissolving for the elections. The legislation requires the state to collect the fingerprints of both index fingers from every resident of the country, along with a standard photograph.

Much of the reluctance is that the identity program would establishing a centralized database with biometric data on every citizen and legal resident of the country.

The government says the new card are needed because the current ones are too easy to forge. Human rights groups oppose the law, fearing that the data would not be properly protected and leak on to the Internet.

Read the full story here.

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Multimodal biometric security provider ImageWare Systems Inc. has released version 2.0 of its Biometric Engine (BE) physical security identification product.

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Key Source International announced GSA approval for it’s biometric keyboard and stand-alone biometric pod. KSI products are approved under FIPS 201 for Federal Employees and civilian contractors.

Israeli database breach raises fears over security of other national databases

The news that Israeli authorities arrested the man they believe was behind the 2006 theft and subsequent leaking of the biometric and biographical data of up to 9 million Israelis contained on their national database has renewed worry of similar issues coming up in other countries where biometric databases continue to grow, according to a Fast Company article.

GSA certifies 3M Cogent PACs reader

3M Cogent announced that the U.S. General Services Administration, in accordance with FIPS 201, has certified its MiY-ID Gov biometric access control reader as an approved biometric authentication system standard.

Expats in Kuwait's public sector to have smart cards

Kuwait’s Public Authority for Civil Information (PAIC) will be phasing out identity cards for foreigners working in the country’s public service sector in favor of smart cards, reports the Gulf News.

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Israelis debate biometric ID cards