- Email: [email protected]
New Zealand customs tests Safran Identity & Security kiosks
NEWS The United States Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), in conjunction with INL/Mexico City and the US Department of State, Office of Acquisitions Management (AQM), is researching a biometric solution composed of predominantly COTS products for software licensing, maintenance and development services. This is in preparation for a potential procurement to ultimately design, develop and deploy a formalised, fully compliant and scalable central Biometrics system for the Government of Mexico.
US OBIM seeks to improve biometrics comms
T
he Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) in the US has issued an RFI to gather information from vendors and organisations to develop, enhance, and expand OBIM’s communication strategy. This will involve informing the stakeholders on both the current Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the planned Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART), and also ideas and future products and services beyond IDENT and HART.
market
Crossmatch lands $5.8m IARPA contract
C
rossmatch has been awarded a $5.8m contract by Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) to develop next-generation Presentation Attack Detection (PAD) technologies for IARPA’s Thor (Tactical High-Threat Operational Response) programme. Biometric PAs, also known as biometric spoofing, attempt to circumvent the protection of a biometric system by falsely representing biometric data in such a way as to gain access or avoid identification. The goal of the Thor programme is to develop reliable PAD technologies not easily deceived when someone attempts to disguise their true biometric identity in order to game the system. Crossmatch will work closely with IARPA, a research arm within the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to develop a system capable of capturing more robust information from biometric samples that identify and
May 2017
measure the likelihood of PAs and identifying unknown PAs based on factors like normalcy modeling for anomaly detection. Research and development will be ongoing to early 2021.
Safran to sell Morpho Detection
S
afran has agreed to sell Morpho Detection, a US-based subsidiary of Safran, and other detection related activities, to Smiths Group plc for $710m. Headquartered in Newark, California, Morpho Detection provides solutions for detecting and identifying chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) threats as well as other illicit items to improve security at airports, borders, and sensitive sites and events. Morpho Detection is part of Safran’s Morpho business within its Security segment, and recorded revenue of $320m in 2015. Morpho Detection will become part of Smiths Group plc’s Detection segment, which designs and manufactures sensors that detect and identify explosives, weapons, chemical agents and other contraband.
Experian partners with BioCatch for behavioural biometrics
E
xperian and behavioural biometrics supplier Biocatch have teamed up to prevent new account fraud with the CrossCore fraud and identity platform. The integration of BioCatch technology into the CrossCore platform provides protection against fraud, detecting fraud in real time. For example, this could focus on the way a user behaves as he or she fills out an online credit card application. New account fraud, or deception that happens during the creation or alleged creation of new accounts, is a massive issue growing at a rapid rate. According to industry analysts at Javelin, there were more than 1.5m new account fraud victims in 2015 that accounted for $2.8bn in losses. The number increased by 40% in 2016.
border
New Zealand customs tests Safran Identity & Security kiosks
N
ew Zealand customs authorities are testing a self-service solution for Continued on page 12...
EVENTS CALENDAR 26–28 June 2017
QEII Conference Centre, Westminster, London
SDW 2017
SDW 2017 (Security Document World) is a conference and exhibition event providing a global showcase for next-generation human identity solutions, focusing on intrinsic document security and on the cutting-edge secure infrastructure now required to produce and use these advanced documents in live situations. The event features a three-day conference and a two-day exhibition hosting 140 of the secure document and government ID industry’s leading companies and organisations from around the world. More information: http://www.sdwexpo.com
20–22 June 2017 ExCel, London
IFSEC International 2017
IFSEC International provides hands-on access to over 10,000 security solutions, live product demonstrations, and networking with over 27,000 security professionals. It covers every aspect of security, from access control and video surveillance to smart buildings, cyber and border control. More information: http://www.ifsec.events/international/
1–4 October 2017 Denver, Colorado, US
IJCB 2017: International Joint Conference on Biometrics
The International Joint Conference on Biometrics (IJCB 2017) combines two major biometrics research annual conferences – the Biometrics Theory, Applications and Systems (BTAS) conference and the International Conference on Biometrics (ICB). The blending of these two conferences in 2017 is through agreement between the IEEE Biometrics Council and the IAPR TC-4. This is the third such joint conference, following IJCB 2014 in Clearwater Florida and the first IJCB 2011 in Washington DC. This conference is a result of major worldwide consensus to join the two major biometrics meetings and to establish IJCB as a venue for presenting biometrics research results. More information: http://www.ijcb2017.org/ijcb2017/index.php
10–11 October June 2017
Park Plaza Victoria Hotel, London
ATM & Cyber Security 2017
ATM & Cyber Security 2017 (formerly ATM Security) is a conference focused on physical and logical ATM security. The event attracts over 350 delegates, representing more than 140 organisations from over 40 countries worldwide. The event comprises a speaker programme containing contributions from retail banks, law enforcement agencies, hardware and software providers and a range of industry bodies. A vendor technology exhibition area will allow delegates to view ATM security products and complementary services, share ideas and experiences and network with colleagues in the industry. The event focuses both on physical ATM security and newer cyber and logical security threats. More information: https://www.rbrlondon.com/events/atmsec
Biometric Technology Today
3
NEWS/COMMENT ...Continued from page 3
patrolled the border in the past. The drones would have sensors possibly including infrared cameras and facial recognition capabilities that allow them to cross-reference any persons identified with relevant law enforcement databases. This comes as CBP officials test facial recognition tech that is planned to underpin the country’s Biometric Exit system that would identify every visa holder as they leave the country.
facial recognition New Zealand customs tests Safran self-service solution for families travelling together.
families travelling together, developed by Safran Identity & Security (ex Morpho), on departures at Christchurch Airport. This solution extends the automated border control capability of the eGates to families, groups and assisted travellers. Previously, families with children under 12-years and assisted travellers were unable to use automated eGates and were required to go to the manual booth for customs and immigration checks. The Family Processing solution is a self-service kiosk which integrates with existing border management systems and enables families and assisted travellers to complete their border crossing. The kiosk verifies passenger identity using facial recognition, and cameras are calibrated to capture passengers from 1 m to 2.1m in height. The Family Kiosk processes family groups with mandatory questions responded to via the touchscreen interface and parents are able to respond on behalf of children.
US CBP evaluates drones with on-board biometrics
U
S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities are reported to be evaluating consumer drones with onboard biometrics to monitor borders. The agency is soliciting proposals for small, unmanned aerial systems, similar to consumer drones manufactured by DJI and Parrot, to be deployed by US Border Patrol agents in the field, reports The Verge. The proposed aircraft would be small enough to be carried in a truck and able to be deployed by a single border agent in less than five minutes. The Government solicitation document asks for SUAS, which usually refers to consumer drones under 55 pounds in weight, in contrast to the Predator B drones that have 12
Biometric Technology Today
NIST documents facial recognition from video of non-cooperating subjects
T
he US National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) has issued a report documenting its Face in Video Evaluation (FIVE), an independent, public test of face recognition of non-cooperating subjects recorded passively.
Face recognition is much more difficult in noncooperative video than with traditional portraitstyle photos. This leads to the possibility that a member of the public can be falsely matched to someone on a watchlist; elevating a recognition threshold mitigates the occurrence of such hazards. The report enumerates the accuracy and speed of face recognition algorithms applied to the identification of persons appearing in video sequences drawn from six different video datasets. FIVE was open to any organisation worldwide, at no charge. The research arms of 16 major commercial suppliers of face recognition technologies submitted 36 algorithms. This study was conducted to support new and existing applications of face recognition, particularly to assess viability and technology readiness. It documents situations where face recognition of non-cooperative persons is accurate enough to satisfy some operational requirements. It also demonstrates cases where the core recognition technology fails to compensate for deficient imaging. More information: http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/ nistpubs/ir/2017/NIST.IR.8173.pdf
COMMENT Biometric identity management systems (BIMS) are changing the way people interact with their governments, businesses, and each other. Yet despite their rapid growth, concrete guidance on how best to architect a BIMS is lacking. This is according to seasoned biometric industry experts Mark Crego and Janice Kephart (see feature page 8). Governments around the world are forging ahead with a number of different models of biometric identity systems, ranging from the ambitious Indian Aadhaar system, which sought to register the entire population’s biometrics for both public sector and commercial use, through to the emergence of multiple independent systems in the US and Australia for example. In the latter case, almost inexorably, systems set up for different purposes from identifying drivers to securing borders are starting to be linked. As this happens privacy advocates are starting to worry. In Australia, there have been calls to put in place a Biometric Commissioner to oversee privacy issues, as The Attorney General’s Department plans to add as many as 12m passport photographs to its Face Verification Service this year, reports innovationaus.com. It reminds us that initially the FVS held only citizenship images of people born overseas
that apply for Australian citizenship. Meanwhile, in the US, government authorities are working with the Mexican government to procure and deploy a formalised, fully compliant and scalable central biometrics system for Mexico. And in California, reports are emerging that the state has spent nearly $1.8m on facial recognition software. Motherboard Vice reports that in response to its request for information, state authorities revealed the payments were for NeoFace, which could be used for multiple kinds of cases including access control, identification, mobility, and surveillance (see http://tinyurl.com/BTT201705comment). Separately, The Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) in the US is gathering information from vendors and organisations with experience to help it improve its communications about the country’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and planned capabilities such as the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) system, as well as, it says, also communicate ideas and future products and services beyond IDENT and HART. These authorities would do well to review Crego and Kephart’s recommendations for the top 10 must-haves for biometric ID systems if they are to ensure a successful implementation. Tracey Caldwell
May 2017
US OBIM seeks to improve biometrics comms
T
he Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) in the US has issued an RFI to gather information from vendors and organisations to develop, enhance, and expand OBIM’s communication strategy. This will involve informing the stakeholders on both the current Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and the planned Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART), and also ideas and future products and services beyond IDENT and HART.
market
Crossmatch lands $5.8m IARPA contract
C
rossmatch has been awarded a $5.8m contract by Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) to develop next-generation Presentation Attack Detection (PAD) technologies for IARPA’s Thor (Tactical High-Threat Operational Response) programme. Biometric PAs, also known as biometric spoofing, attempt to circumvent the protection of a biometric system by falsely representing biometric data in such a way as to gain access or avoid identification. The goal of the Thor programme is to develop reliable PAD technologies not easily deceived when someone attempts to disguise their true biometric identity in order to game the system. Crossmatch will work closely with IARPA, a research arm within the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to develop a system capable of capturing more robust information from biometric samples that identify and
May 2017
measure the likelihood of PAs and identifying unknown PAs based on factors like normalcy modeling for anomaly detection. Research and development will be ongoing to early 2021.
Safran to sell Morpho Detection
S
afran has agreed to sell Morpho Detection, a US-based subsidiary of Safran, and other detection related activities, to Smiths Group plc for $710m. Headquartered in Newark, California, Morpho Detection provides solutions for detecting and identifying chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) threats as well as other illicit items to improve security at airports, borders, and sensitive sites and events. Morpho Detection is part of Safran’s Morpho business within its Security segment, and recorded revenue of $320m in 2015. Morpho Detection will become part of Smiths Group plc’s Detection segment, which designs and manufactures sensors that detect and identify explosives, weapons, chemical agents and other contraband.
Experian partners with BioCatch for behavioural biometrics
E
xperian and behavioural biometrics supplier Biocatch have teamed up to prevent new account fraud with the CrossCore fraud and identity platform. The integration of BioCatch technology into the CrossCore platform provides protection against fraud, detecting fraud in real time. For example, this could focus on the way a user behaves as he or she fills out an online credit card application. New account fraud, or deception that happens during the creation or alleged creation of new accounts, is a massive issue growing at a rapid rate. According to industry analysts at Javelin, there were more than 1.5m new account fraud victims in 2015 that accounted for $2.8bn in losses. The number increased by 40% in 2016.
border
New Zealand customs tests Safran Identity & Security kiosks
N
ew Zealand customs authorities are testing a self-service solution for Continued on page 12...
EVENTS CALENDAR 26–28 June 2017
QEII Conference Centre, Westminster, London
SDW 2017
SDW 2017 (Security Document World) is a conference and exhibition event providing a global showcase for next-generation human identity solutions, focusing on intrinsic document security and on the cutting-edge secure infrastructure now required to produce and use these advanced documents in live situations. The event features a three-day conference and a two-day exhibition hosting 140 of the secure document and government ID industry’s leading companies and organisations from around the world. More information: http://www.sdwexpo.com
20–22 June 2017 ExCel, London
IFSEC International 2017
IFSEC International provides hands-on access to over 10,000 security solutions, live product demonstrations, and networking with over 27,000 security professionals. It covers every aspect of security, from access control and video surveillance to smart buildings, cyber and border control. More information: http://www.ifsec.events/international/
1–4 October 2017 Denver, Colorado, US
IJCB 2017: International Joint Conference on Biometrics
The International Joint Conference on Biometrics (IJCB 2017) combines two major biometrics research annual conferences – the Biometrics Theory, Applications and Systems (BTAS) conference and the International Conference on Biometrics (ICB). The blending of these two conferences in 2017 is through agreement between the IEEE Biometrics Council and the IAPR TC-4. This is the third such joint conference, following IJCB 2014 in Clearwater Florida and the first IJCB 2011 in Washington DC. This conference is a result of major worldwide consensus to join the two major biometrics meetings and to establish IJCB as a venue for presenting biometrics research results. More information: http://www.ijcb2017.org/ijcb2017/index.php
10–11 October June 2017
Park Plaza Victoria Hotel, London
ATM & Cyber Security 2017
ATM & Cyber Security 2017 (formerly ATM Security) is a conference focused on physical and logical ATM security. The event attracts over 350 delegates, representing more than 140 organisations from over 40 countries worldwide. The event comprises a speaker programme containing contributions from retail banks, law enforcement agencies, hardware and software providers and a range of industry bodies. A vendor technology exhibition area will allow delegates to view ATM security products and complementary services, share ideas and experiences and network with colleagues in the industry. The event focuses both on physical ATM security and newer cyber and logical security threats. More information: https://www.rbrlondon.com/events/atmsec
Biometric Technology Today
3
NEWS/COMMENT ...Continued from page 3
patrolled the border in the past. The drones would have sensors possibly including infrared cameras and facial recognition capabilities that allow them to cross-reference any persons identified with relevant law enforcement databases. This comes as CBP officials test facial recognition tech that is planned to underpin the country’s Biometric Exit system that would identify every visa holder as they leave the country.
facial recognition New Zealand customs tests Safran self-service solution for families travelling together.
families travelling together, developed by Safran Identity & Security (ex Morpho), on departures at Christchurch Airport. This solution extends the automated border control capability of the eGates to families, groups and assisted travellers. Previously, families with children under 12-years and assisted travellers were unable to use automated eGates and were required to go to the manual booth for customs and immigration checks. The Family Processing solution is a self-service kiosk which integrates with existing border management systems and enables families and assisted travellers to complete their border crossing. The kiosk verifies passenger identity using facial recognition, and cameras are calibrated to capture passengers from 1 m to 2.1m in height. The Family Kiosk processes family groups with mandatory questions responded to via the touchscreen interface and parents are able to respond on behalf of children.
US CBP evaluates drones with on-board biometrics
U
S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities are reported to be evaluating consumer drones with onboard biometrics to monitor borders. The agency is soliciting proposals for small, unmanned aerial systems, similar to consumer drones manufactured by DJI and Parrot, to be deployed by US Border Patrol agents in the field, reports The Verge. The proposed aircraft would be small enough to be carried in a truck and able to be deployed by a single border agent in less than five minutes. The Government solicitation document asks for SUAS, which usually refers to consumer drones under 55 pounds in weight, in contrast to the Predator B drones that have 12
Biometric Technology Today
NIST documents facial recognition from video of non-cooperating subjects
T
he US National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) has issued a report documenting its Face in Video Evaluation (FIVE), an independent, public test of face recognition of non-cooperating subjects recorded passively.
Face recognition is much more difficult in noncooperative video than with traditional portraitstyle photos. This leads to the possibility that a member of the public can be falsely matched to someone on a watchlist; elevating a recognition threshold mitigates the occurrence of such hazards. The report enumerates the accuracy and speed of face recognition algorithms applied to the identification of persons appearing in video sequences drawn from six different video datasets. FIVE was open to any organisation worldwide, at no charge. The research arms of 16 major commercial suppliers of face recognition technologies submitted 36 algorithms. This study was conducted to support new and existing applications of face recognition, particularly to assess viability and technology readiness. It documents situations where face recognition of non-cooperative persons is accurate enough to satisfy some operational requirements. It also demonstrates cases where the core recognition technology fails to compensate for deficient imaging. More information: http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/ nistpubs/ir/2017/NIST.IR.8173.pdf
COMMENT Biometric identity management systems (BIMS) are changing the way people interact with their governments, businesses, and each other. Yet despite their rapid growth, concrete guidance on how best to architect a BIMS is lacking. This is according to seasoned biometric industry experts Mark Crego and Janice Kephart (see feature page 8). Governments around the world are forging ahead with a number of different models of biometric identity systems, ranging from the ambitious Indian Aadhaar system, which sought to register the entire population’s biometrics for both public sector and commercial use, through to the emergence of multiple independent systems in the US and Australia for example. In the latter case, almost inexorably, systems set up for different purposes from identifying drivers to securing borders are starting to be linked. As this happens privacy advocates are starting to worry. In Australia, there have been calls to put in place a Biometric Commissioner to oversee privacy issues, as The Attorney General’s Department plans to add as many as 12m passport photographs to its Face Verification Service this year, reports innovationaus.com. It reminds us that initially the FVS held only citizenship images of people born overseas
that apply for Australian citizenship. Meanwhile, in the US, government authorities are working with the Mexican government to procure and deploy a formalised, fully compliant and scalable central biometrics system for Mexico. And in California, reports are emerging that the state has spent nearly $1.8m on facial recognition software. Motherboard Vice reports that in response to its request for information, state authorities revealed the payments were for NeoFace, which could be used for multiple kinds of cases including access control, identification, mobility, and surveillance (see http://tinyurl.com/BTT201705comment). Separately, The Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) in the US is gathering information from vendors and organisations with experience to help it improve its communications about the country’s Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and planned capabilities such as the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) system, as well as, it says, also communicate ideas and future products and services beyond IDENT and HART. These authorities would do well to review Crego and Kephart’s recommendations for the top 10 must-haves for biometric ID systems if they are to ensure a successful implementation. Tracey Caldwell
May 2017