Tool to backup, modify and clone ePassport released

[Roland Perry]

In article <F0322D2A-0DBF-4122-BFF3-370C75469CF2@batten.eu.org>, Ian 
Batten <igb@batten.eu.org> writes
>The ICAO scheme, as I understand it, is that the data on the RFID chip 
>doesn't include the passport serial number, which is used as an 
>encryption key.  So the intent is that the contents of the chip are 
>readable to anyone who can read the data page of an open passport (old 
>blue British passports have the serial number on the front cover, but 
>that's not at all common these days).
>
>Now there are some objections one might raise about the lack of entropy 
>in passport serial numbers

Lots of people know my passport number. It's a standard item requested 
by airlines when booking, conferences [1] when registering, hotels when 
checking in.

[1] The ones I go to anyway. Nothing very secret, but organised by 
intergovernmental agencies and the like, and often needing to issue an 
"invitation letter" to obtain a visa, and that letter typically uses the 
passport number to match the invitation to the applicant.
-- 
Roland Perry