UK biometric passport scheme nipped in the bud?

[Paul Leyland]

> Further fuel to iris vs fingerprint biometrics debate. The URL below
> provides further links of interest to this list. It is interesting in
> the light of the suggestion that the UK Passport Service wants to
> introduce passport smart cards by 2006 which would contain data on
> either an iris scan or fingerprints. =20
...

I was at the Eurocrypt rump session where this work was presented.  It =
was an unusual event --- absolutely nothing to do with crypto, and the =
work which got by far the most enthusiastic audience reaction.  The =
slides showed truly table-top processing; there was nothing there that =
couldn't be done with equipment that is either in almost every =
computer-equipped home or can be easily and cheaply purchased at =
Sainsburys and Maplins.  The Gummy Fingers cost about =883 each to make.

It's a real pity that no manufacturers of fingerprint sensors were =
present.


Paul