Explosive YouTube Video Reveals Security Issues with U.S. Passport Cards

Posted by Shabana on January 25, 2008
Filed under: Gear, News

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Since the switch to passport cards to be used for border checks was announced, U.S. security concerns have been high. Now, the LA Times is reporting that a YouTube video showing an explosion being triggered by a passport card has added grist to the rumor mill.

The creator of the video, Kevin Mahaffey insists it’s an unlikely scenario, and the likelihood of a terrorist blowing you up through a computer chip embedded in your card is slim to none. The passport in his video is a fake one, made using materials similar to an original passport. However, he remains skeptical about the safety of the new passport cards, and he’s not alone.

The chip in the card contains the card holder’s personal information, excluding Social Security number and address. At a border check, these details are broadcast when an antenna is activated by a government scanner. Herein lies the problem. Some experts worry these details could be intercepted by people with the right equipment just a few feet away. Personal information could be stolen, and chips copied to make duplicate passports.

The State Department has introduced several checks to ensure the passport chips are not tampered with. New security features include metallic material to block radio signals, and a cryptographic device that requires reading by an optical scanner only to rule out the possibility of eavesdropping. Chips that have been altered can be detected digitally, and will be automatically flagged.

These new security features have assuaged the fears of many security experts. Their verdict? The cards might not be 100 percent fool proof, but there are no serious causes for concern. For now.

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