US Border Officials Haven't Properly Verified Visitor Passports For More Than a Decade Due To Improper Software - Slashdot

US Border Officials Haven't Properly Verified Visitor Passports For More Than a Decade Due To Improper Software - Slashdot:
"U.S. border officials have failed to cryptographically verify the passports of visitors to the U.S. for more than a decade -- because the government didn't have the proper software.
...E-passports have an electronic chip containing cryptographic information and machine-readable text, making it easy to verify a passport's authenticity and integrity.
That cryptographic information makes it almost impossible to forge a passport, and it helps to protect against identity theft.
Introduced in 2007, all newly issued passports are now e-passports.
Citizens of the 38 countries on the visa waiver list must have an e-passport in order to be admitted to the U.S.
But according to the senators' letter, sent Thursday, border staff "lacks the technical capabilities to verify e-passport chips."..."
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