Last week we heard about the introduction of RFID passports being used for the public in the U.S. It's interesting to find out now that they technology behind those new age passports is created by Infineon. At least, in part. Today, they announced they've already received a huge order for the chips that will be embedded in the documents. Though heavily laden with self-praise, they did have this to say about security concerns:
"As the leading supplier of the specialized chips used for secure personal identification, financial transactions and access to electronic systems, our chips have successfully passed some of the most stringent security tests in the world. We are very happy to be chosen to supply the electronics for the large-scale roll-out of the electronic passport," said Christopher Cook, managing director of Infineon Technologies North America Corp.
Supposedly, the access control device is supposed to be completely unreadable to anything but the device intended to read it at customs or an airport, and not susceptible to outside intrusions. Whether or not that is actually true will be something only time can tell.