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UK Gov't Promises IDs Are Absolutely Un-Forgeable... Maybe
from the speaking-in-absolutes dept
You should generally be careful when using "absolutes" (or should I say, you should always be careful in using absolutes?). Over in the UK, where they're introducing a new national ID card, the former head of of MI5 has said any attempt to forge the cards would be "absolutely useless." That's an absolute (and fairly bold) statement -- and one likely to attract certain types of folks to take up the challenge. Of course, he's only talking about if the card is run through a computer system. If you're just flashing the card, then forgeries might be able to get by... but it'll be difficult: "significantly reduce the viability of creating counterfeit or modified cards for simple visual verification." Either way, pretty bold statements for something that may be tough to actually provide. Update: On second thought... no. I messed up this post in a big way. The MI5 comment was that the cards would become useless if they were forged -- basically pointing out the problem. The government did come back and say that the cards were unlikely to be forgeable, but it wasn't the former MI5 person saying it. No more posting before fully awake.
Reader Comments
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Card Security is not the Point
Lots of people focus on card security and think that a secure card has security value. But that's beside the point: It's fraudulently acquired cards that make ID systems so breakable. There can be perfect card security, but not perfect card issuance procedures. (Think DMV.) That's the achilles heel of identification-based security.
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No Subject Given
The smarter the authorities get, the smarter the criminals get. This has been the case throughout history and I seriously doubt that will change. Matter of fact them saying it can't pass a computer check seems unrealistic to me. As long as there will be computers there will be people whos sole purpose in life is to hack them. I am sure there are people reading this post thinking they would like to try it.
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No Subject Given
Mike, I really respect how open you are to correction and revision to the posts you make. It gives me much more confidence in, well, the stuff you don't retract :-)
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Eventually
Eventually all of this kind of stuff becomes forgeable as technology advances. It's always a game of leap-from.
The point is that this sort of scheme ends up being much better at identifying law-abiding citizens than criminals, especially the most dangerous, well-funded types.
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now if only ...
now if only our president was as willing to admit mistakes.
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