Thirteen ways government tracks us

Identity by Raul Mandru

Identity from Raul Mandru on Vimeo.

Border deal could erode personal privacy in Canada: Report

BTC WORLD WATCH


c/o Vancouver Sun

Canada is being asked to compromise the civil rights of millions of Canadians without any guarantee the Americans will hold up their side of the bargain, says the report, written by Gar Pardy, a former senior diplomat to Washington.

:::MORE HERE:::

SEE ALSO: Canada to launch biometric passports by 2012

EVerify Program Hurting Workers, Business & our Economic Recovery

Forbes' TravelGeek tackles Trusted Traveller demand for Real ID

*Special thanks to working activists Phil Mocek & Edward Hasbrouck

To get the deep scoop on items like Trusted Traveller, Passenger Name Recognition and other stern demands for traveller identity in real-time , visit PapersPlease.org 

You can also stay on top of regional action alerts to respond to increased demand for identity from the US Travel Association. 

REDUX: How police became equipped with biometric iPhones, cameras; NSTIC Public Input deadlines

WSJ.com c/o Emily Steel & Julia Angwin 

"The device, which attaches to an iPhone, an officer can snap a picture of a face from up to five feet away, or scan a person's irises from up to six inches away, and do an immediate search to see if there is a match with a database of people with criminal records. The gadget also collects fingerprints." 


:::MORE HERE:::

BTC--HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

As early as 2001, biometrics (iris scans and fingerprints) were pitched into the Senate ring as an amenity to control immigration.  An ad hoc public-private technology work group carried by the National Institute of Standards & Technology,  exactly like the groups today considering cyber identity governance[NSTIC],  came together and haggled over the best ways to deliver on roving biometric captures of would-be criminals. No privacy advocates made the work group cut.  Maybe some refused worry because the California DOJ was present for legal oversight.  [I believe that is an inequitable representation for the other 49 state's interests affected by this policy group, but that's just me...] From there the Dept of Commerce knighted the Mobil ID Work Group to complete their assessments and get their contractors on task.

As a result, taxpayers now get to pay police to license iPhones which also function like roving federal pre-crime database kiosks.   Gee, I wonder who the early adopters are?!!

Well, that would be the FBI.  There is a pecking order.

MORE ABOUT NIST POLICY WORK GROUPS

Today NIST will be evaluating the future implementation of what some are debating is a national ID system for the Internet.

Right now,  groups are assembling in Washington to add their 2 cents as to whether or not you are required to add your cyber ID to access account information on an energy smart grid or for your online banking. If you are poor or unemployed, they may require you to "voluntarily" adopt a government ID to access your benefits.  What are your concerns about this type of federal identity?

Data surveillance and privacy handling are also being discussed now.  If you aren't part of that discussion or the work group, don't worry.  You still have a voice in this matter.  Please see the details for public input below.

Here is second life for news that matters:

Cops to Get Facial Recognition Devices; Will They Need Warrants to Use Them?

Oakland Police equipped with body cameras

"[Capt. Ed Tracey]Tracey said the cameras are proving helpful to a budget-strapped police force that has reduced staff while covering what is still one of the country's most dangerous cities, even though overall crime has trended downward."

DIY GOVERNMENT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT on NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR TRUSTED IDENTITIES IN CYBERSPACE or NSTIC

• Washington D.C. -- Homewood Suites by Hilton DC 1475 Massachussetts Ave. NW, 20005
• July 13th, 14th, 15th; 8 AM - 5 PM  EDT 
• c/o NIST's, Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board—Presentations from Mississippi [Docket No. 110524296–1289–02],  
• Topics include Cloud Security & Privacy panel and NSTIC Implementation plans

If you can't make it to Washington D.C. you may add your personal comments on the NSTIC plan for cyber identity.  Comments are due by July 22nd, 2011.  


Detailed Public Notice here. 
http://www.nist.gov/nstic/nstic-frn-noi.pdf

Please address your comments to:

The National Institute of Standards & Technology
c/o Annie Sokol
100 Bureau Drive, Mailstop 8930,
Gaithersburg, MD 20899

Electronic comments can be sent to: NSTICnoi@nist.gov

Special Instructions for Paper Submissions:

"Paper submissions should include a compact disc (CD).CDs should be labeled with the name and organizational affiliation of the filer and the name of the word processing program used to create the document."

Missouri Customer questions why store scans ID for liquor purchases

Deadline for EVVE to Motor Vehicle Division input June 8th

BTC - You have until exactly June 8th to contest the implementation of yet *ANOTHER* national ID  program, according to Cato, integrating the motor vehicle driver license records into E-Verify's labor records databases.

You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-2011-0030 by one of the following methods:

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Fax: 703-483-2999.

Mail: Mary Ellen Callahan, Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this rulemaking. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,
including any personal information provided.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received go to http://www.regulations.gov.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general questions, please contact:
Janice Jackson, Acting Privacy Branch Chief, Verification Division,
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Department of HomelandSecurity,
Washington, DC 20528.

For privacy issues please contact:
Mary Ellen Callahan (703-235-0780),
Chief Privacy Officer, Privacy Office,
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.

Northeastern states submit to Real ID certification processes

Citizens opting out now may eventually possess national IDs for federal purposes

BTC - Several northeastern States are currently on the path of "self certification" or a State's certification process of compliance with the Real ID benchmark process. Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Vermont, and Connecticut have all expressed intent to comply with Real ID regulations.

State certification is an interrim process for States to begin compliance with Real ID regulations.  12 states responded to an initial call for compliance certification in 2008.  The process involves several letters of approval, issued by a combination of State officials, the State Attorney General's office and consent of a State's Governor.

Federal funding to support State costs for Real ID certification initiatives was recently reinstated.  The National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL] received a grant notice today for $45 million in Real ID appropriations.   State governments and licensing divisions who accept grants may buy into more biometric technology upgrades for licenses and to build database infrastructure.  DHS had previously omitted federal appropriations for Real ID in March, 2011.

The complicated process of national Real ID compliance is now encumbered by 25 States, who issued bans to the costs, policies and regulations.  Efforts to mitigate federal standards in states like California, who recently upgraded local licenses for federal acceptance by the TSA, allow license applicants to opt-out of a national or federal ID card. According to Molly Ramsdell at NCSL, states expecting to be certified by the next DHS deadline, will bring license holders into federal compliance, even if they opted out of the process originally.

Gold Starred Real ID "self certified" license

Northeastern residents in New York and New Jersey who may have opted out of the enhanced drivers license, containing an insecure RFID tag, and the federal ID program would be required to provide proof of citizenship to renew their licenses by 2013. Their ID cards may be used in the future for crossing continental borders, boarding airplanes or other purposes deemed by DHS, like logging into an online terminal with a universal digital identifier.

States engaged in the certification process may issue ID cards featuring a gold star, indicating the license is headed for DHS approval by the next deadline.   To date, no State has been officially certified or deemed materially compliant with Real ID regulations due DHS extension of the deadlines until January 15, 2013.

Florida Libertarian Chair protests Real ID in licenses

Big Thanks to my friends at FSD.com for sending in this tip.




SEE ALSO: REAL ID protested in Clearwater, Fla. as part of the Eroded liberties series.

ALSO BAD: NJ & CT eat the chip on Real ID compliance.[I guess the State wants to keep the standard consistent for NY strip retirees who end up in Florida. ;)]

REDUX: Poll: 60% Reject Government ID for Online Security [NSTIC]

BTC - Thanks to Freedom's Phoenix.

 


SEE ALSO: Rasmussen Poll shows 60%Reject Government ID for Online Security [NSTIC]

Digital ID News: The US isn't ready for NSTIC & It's all in the implementation

The Maine Curiosity

BTC -- Maine has tread a rocky road to success and compromise towards resolving Real ID compliance and State boundaries. Rep. Ben Chipman, a freshman elected on an Independent ticket, used Maine's legislative history and his experience on a local People's Veto initiative to gain support and sponsorship for An Act To Protect the Privacy of Maine Residents under the Driver's license Laws [LD-1068]. The bill has been recently re-worked to include an Amendment; which united partisan interests and gained a nod from the Governor.

Rep. Chipman discusses the bill, the Amendment, the legislative priorities for LD-1068 and Maine's conflicted history with Real ID.

"Should the American government provide online-identity services?" - The Economist

SEE ALSO:

• The Practice of Law in the Era of 'Big Data'
• The Government Internet ID Proposal’s Pros and Cons

TX "Creeping Totalitarianism: Identify yourself or go to jail"

c/o Grits for Breakfast

AUSTIN

"If this idea had been proposed in the 1950s, it would have been discarded as reminiscent of Soviet Communism. But state Sen. Dan Patrick has SB 843 up Tuesday in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee that would expand the offense of "failure to identify" to require people to identify themselves whenever they're legally "detained" by police. Presently, you're only required to identify yourself upon arrest, which has been the law for many years. Here's the description of the legislation and its intent from the bill analysis"

:::MORE HERE:::

SC mom defies arbitrary demand for identity from public school

BTC -  This is a great story. You'll love this one if you've "had it up to here" with walking into public places which arbitrarily require identity to participate.  This is one mother's account of a face off between herself and public school workers who needed some perspective.  Furthermore, you should note the principal's Retail Management style of dealing with someone who doesn't like their school policy.

:::MORE HERE:::

Implementing Real ID benchmarks creates hassles for Mainers

BTC - Real ID, while declared dead at the federal level, is still complicating the lives and livelihoods of license holders in states like Maine, who are moving forward with incremental identification benchmarks in compliance with the federal law.

Adrienne Bennet for WBAI reports:

Real ID Causing Real Problems

In 2007, Maine was the first state in the nation to reject the federal real i-d act. Today, the state is complying with the federal law designed to make it harder for terrorists and illegal immigrants to get government-issued identification. However, it's proving to be a nightmare for some Mainers.

EU passports not that safe, says expert

EU passport security has been placed under the microscope

c/o euobserver.com , *special thanks to EFF

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The biometric, or "e-passport," was supposed to offer a previously unrivalled level of security and protection against forgery. It was "fool-proof," some said, even "impossible" to counterfeit.

In the years that followed the attacks on New York and Washington, the European Union, as with many international powers, was eager to embrace the technology. In 2004, the European Commission proposed technical specifications for a harmonised e-passport system, first requiring digital facial image as as a mandatory biometric identifier for passports and later requiring fingerprint data.


Airport: EU passport security has been placed under the microscope (Photo: dacba10)

But in the wake of the Dubai targetted killing of a Hamas commander, in which a team of some 27 assassins used fake EU and Australian passports in the course of their cloak and dagger escapade, the security of the passport has been placed under the microscope.

Beyond the Dubai murder, Europol has warned that despite the biometric changes to passports, counterfeiting still remains a major problem for criminals or others "who are determined to do so," with the provision of documents for irregular immigrants being the main driver of the activity.

In 2008, the latest year for which data is available, some 16.7 million passports were on an Interpol database of stolen or disappeared passports.

Magnus Svenningson, the CEO of Speed Identity, the company that provides the biometric data capture platform to the Swedish, Luxembourg and Lithuanian governments, in an interview with EUobserver reveals how passports can be forged.

"The EU passport is a very, very secure document. EU countries have invested a lot in the document. It's extremely expensive and difficult to forge, although not impossible," he said.

What makes it so hard is one would have to clone the certified chip of the issuing government: "This requires machine-supported verification of the documents."

Famously, in August 2008, after 3,000 blank UK passports were stolen and British authorities said that without the chip, the documents would have been useless, the Times newspaper hired a computer researcher to successfully clone the chips on two British passports. Passport reader software used by the UN authority that establishes biometric passport standards believed the chips to be genuine.

This is designed to be countered by checking the chip at a border crossing against an international database of key codes, the Public Key Infrastructure, but only a minority of countries have signed up. So a would be counterfeiter should choose a state that does not share these codes.

The level of counterfeiting difficulty varies from country to country, said Mr Svenningson: "In some countries, it's very easy, others not so easy, but every country has their own loopholes."

Loopholes

First of all, the inclusion of the biometric identifiers is binding only for those countries in the Schengen area, of which the UK and Ireland have opted out and which Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania have yet to join. These specifications are also binding on European Economic Area countries Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

According to the EU regulation, countries were to have included both facial imagery and fingerprints in their systems by July last year. The British e-passport meanwhile only uses a digital image and not fingerprinting, although this is currently under consideration by authorities.

UK foreign minister David Miliband said that the Dubai passports taken from British citizens were in any case not biometric, which makes the forgery process that much easier. But Mr Svenningson said that one of the easiest methods is to acquire a duplicate passport - "a real fake passport" - rather than to forge one.

"The problem is enrollment and lies with the breeder documents. These are the documents that make you a for example a British or German citizen," such as a birth certificate or naturalisation papers. "These documents plus the biographic data and the biometric data are then unified and stored in a passport tied together, forming a proof of identity."

According to Mr Svenningson, you should choose a victim that roughly matches your appearance, and then photoshop an image of yourself so that it appears closer to what the original person looks like, something in between you and the other person.

This process is aided by "the transfer of a paper photo to a digital one, which involves a huge loss of quality, resulting in a photo that makes it very easy for others to use."

"When all this is done, you apply for renewal of your victim's passport and file a new application with your tailored picture. Then you wait at his or her mailbox of until the new passport arrives by mail and snatch that particular letter." He added that a postbox that is separate from the apartment or house is best.

This method is the most common, he said. The advent of biometric passports has had an effect: "There has been a big shift in the last five years from counterfeiting to applying for a real one," because of the additional hurdles set up by biometry.

Fingerprints can be fooled

But those countries that require fingerprints included on the chip can still be fooled.

"Fingerprints are possible to fake for a low cost. The easiest way is to obtain a print from something someone has touched, a glass or a mobile phone."

From this you can extract a picture of the ridges that you see on your fingertip. This picture can be moulded onto a piece of plastic, which can then be subtly placed on the fingertip during enrollment or verification of the data to make you appear like someone else.

Even retina scans are not impossible to fake.

"This is difficult. The process involves taking a picture of the retina with infrared light at very close distance. But it is still not impossible. You could hold some kind of eye-like object with a picture of the retina in front of the camera. Of course if the process is supervised, it then becomes quite difficult."

But he says that this supervision, making sure that the photo, fingerprints and other biometric data are captured at the same moment that you apply for a passport: "So that all the data is tied together and impossible for the applicant to alter."

"It's very important to have the whole enrollment process take place in one sequence via an officially supervised process. Any time you break up this sequence, you introduce a window for individuals to undermine the security of the passport."

Of course, Mr Svenningson's business model is precisely that - all-in-one biometric data capture - so he has an interest in suggesting its importance. He jokes that photography shops, who do not sell as many rolls of film any more and for whom the €8 set of four passport photos is an increasingly substantial part of their business, do not particularly like the idea.

But it will still take many years before even the current generation of e-passports is widely adopted.

Five to 10 year window

"When it comes to non-biometric passports, there is an even weaker tie between the document and its holder, and while biometric passports are common now, the large bulk of EU passports in circulation are non-biometric because they aren't out of date yet, and won't be for a number of years. It will take at least another five to 10 years for all EU passports to be biometric."

Still, nothing will be able to stop those who have the time and money to invest in counterfeiting, he said: "The intelligence services have the expenses and the capacity to do this."

Last week, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation interviewed Victor Ostrovsky, a case officer at the Mossad in the 1980s, who said that the Israeli spy agency had its own "passport factory," a company established within the Mossad headquarters.

"They create various types of papers, every kind of ink. It's a very, very expensive research department," he said.

© 2010 EUobserver.com. All rights reserved. Printed on 25.03.2010.

L-1 lands New Jersey identity contract for secured licenses

c/o Business Wire

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb 18, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- L-1 Identity Solutions, Inc. (ID 8.65, +0.09, +1.05%) , a leading provider of identity solutions and services, was awarded a seven-year contract by the State of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to provide a secure driver's license solution. The first year of the contract will include the ramp up and implementation of the new system and the remaining six years will consist of card production and equipment and software maintenance.

New Jersey is changing its pre-existing workflow process for driver's license issuance to incorporate photo-first capabilities as part of the State's effort to curb identity-related fraud. In addition, the State is implementing a secure card production solution as part of its over-the-counter system that will exceed the recommended standards set by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, making the cards compliant with proposed standards set forth in the REAL ID Act. :::MORE HERE:::

Real ID in Nevada proposes radical changes to identity

c/o Las Vegas Review Journal ROAD WARRIOR

Ready or not, Real IDs eventually will replace all drivers licenses

As we have mentioned previously, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles will be introducing the new Advanced Secure Issuance cards throughout the Las Vegas Valley later this month.

Real IDs will be available at the DMV office on West Flamingo Road beginning Monday, followed by the North Las Vegas office on Donovan Way on Feb. 23, the Henderson office on American Pacific Drive on Feb. 24, the North Las Vegas facility on Decatur Boulevard on Feb. 25 and the East Sahara Avenue office on Feb. 26.

Below, I have tried to address questions raised by readers and concerns aired by folks in Northern Nevada, where the DMV began issuing the cards earlier this month.

Our old driver's licenses were just fine. Why are they pushing these new Advanced Secure Issuance IDs on us?

In 2005, the 9/11 Commission recommended that states improve the security of their driver's licenses and identification cards to prevent identity theft and thwart terrorism. This is a voluntary program, but 45 states, including Nevada, have chosen to endorse it. Because of the new card's security features, it will be far more difficult for criminals to obtain counterfeit driver's licenses.

What exactly are these security features?

Actually, there are 15 security features on the card, but only a few of them will be made public: the background on the card, the gold star on the upper right corner, the micro-laser cut of the shape of the state, the bar code and the overprint of some of the text. These make it extremely difficult to counterfeit and show that the applicant has provided all of the proper documents and that the Department of Homeland Security has approved the issuance of the card for federal use, such as boarding an aircraft or entering a federal building where identification is required.

OK, when do I need to get one of these Real IDs?

This program will be phased in over the next seven years. If you were born before Dec. 1, 1964, the standard license in your wallet will be good until December 2017. If your birthday is after Dec. 1, 1964, you have until December 2014. Depending on where your birthday falls, your standard driver's license will be accepted to board airplanes and access federal buildings until the 2014 or 2017 deadline.

I don't want one of these funky licenses. Do I have to get one?

After 2014, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles will cease issuing the standard license, so, yes, eventually you will need one.

What do I need to bring to the DMV when I apply for this secure issuance card?

You will need two documents to prove your identity and two to prove your residency, the most notable change in requirements.

For identification purposes, you may bring a U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate and your Social Security card.

This is where it gets sticky: If you're married or have changed your name, you need to bring the documentation, such as a marriage certificate or adoption papers, to show this change.

If you've been married multiple times, you need to document each name change.

To prove residency, the DMV will accept a utility bill, mortgage statement, phone bill or rental agreement.

Other forms of accepted identification can be found on the DMV's Web site at dmvnv.com

Will my military identification card work as a form of ID?

No. And this is where this seems strange: The DMV will not accept a military card because it can't electronically verify Department of Defense documents, but the airlines will continue to accept the card as a form of identification to board an airplane.

I no longer drive but still travel. Do I need to get one of these new ID's?

If you do not have a passport and wish to use a Nevada license, yes. You will need to get one before December 2014.

What if I have a teenager who has none of the residency documents required?

There is a declaration form that can be downloaded from the DMV Web site and notarized.

Is there some sort of radio frequency and identification chip embedded in the card?

No. The bar code only allows a law enforcement officer to check your information more efficiently and make sure it matches that listed on the front of the card.

I heard that these cards are the first step in creating a national data base for driver's license information. Is that true?

No. The information is used only by the state where the cards are issued.

ROAD WORK AHEAD ■ The intersection of Tee Pee Lane and Grand Teton Drive is expected to be closed for the next two weeks as gas lines are installed.

■ Ackerman Avenue will be closed between Durango Drive and El Capitan Way until Monday as the storm drain is repaired.

■ Main Street between Las Vegas Boulevard and Owens Avenue in North Las Vegas will be closed until the end of the month.

■ Watch for lane restrictions on Durango Drive between Cheyenne Avenue and Alexander Road as the city repairs the asphalt. The restrictions will be in effect on weekdays for the next five months. Lane restrictions will also be in place on Alexander between Cimarron Road and U.S. Highway 95.

■ Lane restrictions are in place on Village Center Circle, on Hills Center Drive between Village Center and Lake Mead Boulevard, and on Town Center Drive between Village Center and Summerlin Parkway.

■ Expect lane closures and shifting on Craig Road for the next seven weeks as North Las Vegas starts converting the Craig Ranch Golf Course into a regional park.

■ Work continues on Neon Boneyard Park. During construction hours, which are between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., expect road closures on parts of McWilliams Avenue, Ninth Street and Encanto Drive.

■ Construction continues on Flamingo Road between Interstate 15 and Audrie Street. Flamingo is reduced to one lane at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard.

Las Vegas Review-Journal

If you have a question, tip or tirade, call Adrienne Packer at (702) 387-2904, or send an e-mail to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com. Include your phone number.

Utah opts out to beat the chip

c/o Salt Lake Tribune

UTAH - House committee approved legislation Friday that would prohibit the state from complying with provisions of the federal REAL ID Act, a measure supported by both the American Civil Liberties Union and the Utah Eagle Forum.

"What [REAL ID] could ultimately lead to is a national ID card that could lead to all sorts of government tyranny if it goes too far," said Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem.

The worrisome provisions include the addition of radio frequency chips set into the state's driver licenses that Sandstrom said "could lead to tracking of movements of individuals and could be used to track the purchases of things such as ammunition and guns."

Congress passed the REAL ID Act after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to impose uniform standards on state identification cards. The bill would not repeal the portions of the REAL ID Act that have already been enacted, including the requirement that residents provide a birth certificate to get a driver license.