Thursday, August 10, 2006

100% Secure and Clone-proof?

There is this news carried in the Star (my favorite paper) where Tan Sri Razali Ismail said that our biometric passport is 100% secure and clone-proof.

I don't know what is his education background (arts? engineer?) but let me tell you this: Nothing is 100% secure in this world. With the right amount of effort, time and money, any system will be broken eventually.

It is easy to reverse engineer the whole chip with the right equipment. These equipment can be found in reverse engineering companies and even in university labs. Pay-TV smart card system has been broken many times, eventually our passport too.

The question is what is the motivation to break it? Money? Espionage activities? Maybe the low level crooks is unable now, but I'm sure the CIA, NSA or other national intelligence agency will be able to do it easily.

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