US: Iowa, Morpho Trust, and prototype digital ID's

Iowa DOT Using Digital ID’s (WHOtv)

Iowa Department of Transportation Director Paul Trombino says Iowa is the first state to offer a prototype for digital licenses currently being used by Iowa DOT employees. The new licenses which will only be optional and not mandatory are fitted with even more secure technology than the card version.

Trombino explained, "I use a fingerprint to open up my phone that can help authorize that. You may have to make a facial movement so it`s not just looking at a picture in order to open up the biometric perspective, so only you can open that up." If that isn't secure enough, "The picture physically moves, so it`s not a static picture like your regular driver`s license," said Trombino.

Talk about mobile ID...

Your Arizona Driver's License Could Be Stored Someday on Your Smartphone (Phoenix New Times)

Delaware aims to be 1st with digital driver's licenses (USA Today)

So, which will it be? Or, will some other state beat them both?

Citizens want strong driver licenses

MorphTrust commissioned Zogby to survey 1,000 U.S. adults.

Survey: Majority in favor of facial recognition (SecureID News)

Overall, when it comes to better driver licenses, 83% support making sure the documents are secure to protect against terror attacks, underage drinking and identity theft. In addition, 83% are in favor of biometric background checks for transportation and warehouse workers who handle hazardous materials.

Face Recognition above the fold at the Washington Post

In the Sunday edition yesterday, the Washington Post ran a long piece above the fold on facial recognition, photo databases, and law enforcement.

State photo-ID databases become troves for police (Washington Post)

It looks like the issues we have been discussing are finally going mainstream.

UPDATE:
For fashion tips on how to beat facial recognition, check out CV Dazzle.

Biometrics reveal improperly issued drivers licenses in New Jersey

Yesterday we concluded the "perfect is the enemy of good" post, with the observation that the merit of biometric ID systems is established when biometrics are used to audit what we termed "Industrial Age" systems.

Right on cue, The Trentonian (Trenton, NJ) reports that:

A new, high tech software has helped authorities identify two city men who fraudulently obtained New Jersey Drivers Licenses, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General (AOG).

Raymond Feeney, 51, and Kirk Bland, 50, have been indicted on charges of using personal information of another to obtain a driver’s license, tampering with public records and forgery. Feeney’s license was suspended on four driving while intoxicated convictions, Bland’s licenses were suspended on two unrelated DUIs.

Any guesses as to what kind of high tech software was used to audit the New Jersey drivers license database, or the scope of the fraud detected (error rate, if you will)?

Many critics of the adoption of biometric identity management technology try to argue that unless biometric techniques are infallible and perfect, then they shouldn't be used. This line of reasoning ignores the fact that the systems they themselves depend upon for the identity documents that enable their full participation in the modern world are demonstrably fallible.

Is it any wonder, then, that developing countries that don't already have universal access to DMV's, birth certificates, social security cards, etc., are not only adopting biometric ID management techniques but that they are deploying them at the front end of their ID infrastructure rather than as a remedial measure?

European Commission Approves Biometric Driving Licenses

Smart driving licences coming to UK (PR Web at Yahoo!)

The EC has given the go-ahead for new plastic licences to include biometric data on drivers, but no address, and these could come into effect as soon as 2015, by which time the UK Government has said it wants to end the need for the paper counterpart to the present licence.

The press release seems to have been put out by Businesscarmanager.co.uk. I didn't find any additional information on the biometric license there, but I did find this, which is fun:

I say Rupert, slow down! Diamond Insurance has revealed the Top Ten men’s and women’s names associated with speeding offences.

Adding a "te" onto the end of Juliet's name doesn't slow her down much at all. Juliet is #1; Juliette is #6 on the list for women.

States are making progress in improving ID

Very interesting article about the state of ID in the United States...

Battle to Make REAL ID a Reality (Opposing Views)

I testified a few days ago at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on REAL ID implementation. I expected to have harsh things to say about the way REAL ID has been treated by the National Governors Association and the Obama administration. And there was certainly plenty to criticize. But what surprised me after a few years away from the issue was not how badly the secure ID problem had been neglected. It was how much progress has been made, almost reluctantly, by all parties. Much more secure identification is now within reach, though politics may still delay the final steps.

Washington: Face Rec, ID & Fees

Lately, A lot of the news about facial recognition audits of state drivers license databases has come out of the state of Washington.

For earlier posts, see:
How DMV Face Rec Can Prevent Identity Theft
Washington: Facial recognition could be applied to all driver's licenses

There's a lot of good facial recognition info. in there.

Your next driver's license may use facial recognition (Yakima Herald)

The fees will go to state agencies, such as the departments of Licensing and Transportation and the State Patrol, but not necessarily to the facial recognition program, said Brad Benfield, Licensing Department spokesman.

The state has already installed facial recognition software using federal funding given to encourage improved security in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Benfield said the system enables the department to identify an applicant who is registered under one or more identities, block the issuance of a new card and refer the case to law enforcement. Common examples of fraudulent use include someone seeking a new license under a different name because his or her real license is suspended, or minors using the information of someone age 21 or older to get a fake license to buy alcohol.

Implementing a facial recognition deduplication routine within the Washington State drivers license database isn't free, but it doesn't explain the big jump in fees, either.

When dealing with government credentialing entities, fees are always an issue.

Pennsylvania: Facial Recognition Leads to Corruption Bust

Malvern photo center supervisor charged with forging drivers licenses (Main Line Media News)

“This is public corruption at its worst,” said Chester County District Attorney Thomas P. Hogan. “We have a state employee abusing his position in order to help and hide criminals.”

According to a criminal complaint filed by state police, the investigation began in August 2011 after an unnamed victim received a duplicate driver’s license with someone else’s photo displayed. PennDOT records showed the driver’s license had been modified by someone in the Malvern licensing center in May 2010.

Investigators then used facial recognition software to identify an additional license that had been modified to show the face of the same imposter. Both counterfeit licenses were obtained from the Malvern center, police said

New Jersey: 40 Arrested in Drivers License Conspiracy

Criminal ring sold illegal digital IDs, authorities say (DailyRecord.com)

The defendants allegedly conspired in schemes in which brokers and Motor Vehicle Commission clerks sold New Jersey digital driver’s licenses to customers who did not have the required six points of identification, the release said. In some cases, the customers, who are foreign nationals, did not qualify for a license because they were in the U.S. illegally. In other cases, they lacked sufficient documentation.

The customers paid between $2,500 and $7,000 for a driver’s license or license renewal, and the MVC clerks and brokers split the proceeds of the illicit sales, the release said.