Product category:
Communications ICs (Wireless)
News Release from: NXP Semiconductors | Subject: SmartMX chip
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 02 November 2007
Chip improves passport security
The SmartMX chip enables biometric data to be securely stored on the passport, creating an even stronger link between the document and its owner.
NXPis supplying smart chip technology for Germany's second-generation ePassports In the second phase of the ePassport specification European Union member states are expected to include digital biometric information in the form of two fingerprints on all ePassports
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 26 Sep 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Building on the success of the German ePassport scheme originally introduced in November 2005, the SmartMX chip enables biometric data to be securely stored on the passport, creating an even stronger link between the document and its owner.
"The German ePassport program has proven very successful over the last two years".
"NXP Semiconductors, with its SmartMX chip solution, has been a substantial part of its success," said Ulrich Hamann, CEO of Bundesdruckerei.
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"By enabling the storage of biometric data, NXP is helping us address tighter security requirements, well ahead of the EU deadline".
"Since the introduction of ePassports, NXP has been at the forefront of developing solutions to enhance border security, to safeguard privacy and to improve interoperability," said Gunter Schlatte, General Manager, eGovernment, NXP Semiconductors.
"With its advanced security features, our next-generation SmartMX chips are the first ICs in the industry to enable migration to the new European ePassport specification".
The deadline for compliance and migration to next-generation ePassports is set by the European Union for 28th June, 2009.
Germany is the first country in Europe to move over to the new system, starting in November this year.
The addition of two fingerprint images in the ePassports requires an enhanced security procedure called Extended Access Control (EAC) set by the European Commission.
EAC provides the necessary stronger cryptography to protect privacy sensitive data and to safeguard against cloning.
NXP's leading SmartMX chip solutions fully support the security requirements of the EAC specification and provide a number of enhanced features for eGovernment applications.
The chip hardware has been certified according to the highest Common Criteria (CC) certification level by the German Federal Office of Information Security (Bundesamt fur Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik).
By using asymmetric cryptography based on elliptic curves, the information stored on the IC is kept secure.
Each chip has a storage capacity of 80kbyte EEPROM.
The new SmartMX chips contain security features to guard against attack scenarios with light and lasers as well as a dedicated hardware firewall to protect specific sections on the chip.
In addition, the ICs also provide faster read and write capabilities due to optimised hardware and software, enabling about three times faster personalisation of passports compared to the first ePassport generation.
NXP's SmartMX chips can be delivered in the industry's thinnest 250um chip-package, making it suitable for a wide variety of contactless eGovernment applications.
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