NEC applying recognition systems to detect counterfeit goods

NEC system enables smart phones, tablets to spot counterfeit goods (IT World)

The system employs what NEC calls “object fingerprint authentication technology” to identify unique patterns in the grain of materials such as plastic or metal. These patterns that are developed during the production of the goods are invisible to the human eye and can be used as indicators to trace the origin of the product and identify if they originated from a company’s factory or are illegal copies. The technology can also be used to improve maintenance and repair work processes in the industrial space.

Technology to thwart fingerprint fakers

Clarkson professor develops fake fingerprint finding technology (Watertown Daily Times – New York)

“People can take materials and make a fake finger and pretend to be someone else,” she said. “We have a piece of software that determines whether the fingerprint is fake or not.”

There’s also some good stuff about convenience, security and trade-offs at the link.

This post from February highlights an application that detects altered fingerprints: App Helps ID Altered Fingerprints

The security and ID management race continues.

Don’t Try This At Home

Sad. Now, in all likelihood, she and a large portion of her family will never be issued another US visa.

Lovelorn 21-yr-old held with fake passport in Pune (DNA India)

“Dara’s fiancée is working in New York, and she wanted to meet him. However, she was not getting a visa, due to some technical issues. Dara’s brother contacted Raju, who asked Dara and her brother to come to Mumbai and made a visa for her in the name of Mina, who is unrelated to the family yet looks similar to Dara. Once the documents were processed, Raju replaced the photo on Mina’s passport with that of Dara. The fact that Dara was using a fake passport was revealed when she underwent a biometric test in New York.”

Around 10 Taiwanese Passports Forged Annually

Foreign ministry calls attention to forged Taiwanese passports (Taiwan News)

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs drew attention Thursday to recent cases of foreign nationals attempting to enter Europe on forged Taiwanese passports. Most of the cases involved authentic Taiwanese biometric passports that had either the photograph or the chip containing personal information replaced, said James Lee, director-general of the ministry’s Department of European Affairs.

In the current state of affairs of biometric passports, everything is riding on the integrity of the chip.