radio-trackable arphids are going into American passports
this year no matter who says otherwise.
From SANS:
–DHS to Test RFID Passport Technology at San Francisco Airport
(30 December 2005)
Beginning in approximately two weeks, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be testing radio frequency identification (RFID) chip-embedded passport technology at San Francisco International Airport.
Singapore, Australia and New Zealand have begun issuing
citizens passports with the technology. The US Department of State has said that all US passports issued after October 2006 will have embedded RFID technology that will carry personal data and a digital photograph.
Last fall, DHS conducted a three-month test of RFID-embedded passports in Los Angeles through the US-VISIT program. In addition, the DHS has "installed biometric entry facilities at all fixed points of entry."
http://www.techweb.com/wire/ebiz/175800140
http://www.fcw.com/article91831-12-30-05-Web
[Editor's Note (Boekman): The Government should be extremely thorough in how they test the security of RFID technology, and pay attention to the results. If they get this wrong initially, it will be extremely difficult and expensive to retrofit something that is already deployed.]
(((It won't be "extremely difficult and expensive" because
the DHS will just ignore the hazards and the failures. Losing
New Orleans was extremely difficult and expensive, too. but,
you know, so what.)))
