Free Republic

The subsidized wheat distribution system turned Egypt into the world's biggest importer of wheat, draining the government's foreign currency reserves: Cairo spends $3 billion a year on imports for it. The successful roll-out so far of a new "smart card" system to distribute subsidized bread has been a major achievement for Egypt's government, saving money while earning praise from families who no longer have to wake early to fight for loaves.

SmartMetric Inc., manufacturer and marketer of tamper-proof identity cards, says it has the solution to yesterday's story that reported possible voting fraud due to the mysterious disappearance of 12 voter smart cards in Shelby County, Tennessee. The cards, used to activate electronic voting machines, were reported missing at Bishop Byrne High School, a Memphis, Tennessee polling place. Local authorities expressed concern that someone in possession of a smartcard could use 'off the shelf equipment' [equipment that reprograms the card] and alter it, enabling it to be used multiple times to cast multiple votes. SmartMetric says its card includes a fingerprint...

The Commerce Secretary today approved the Federal Information Processing Standard for Personal Identity Verification, starting the clock for agencies to implement common smart card-based ID cards. FIPS 201 lays out the technical and operational requirements for the PIV system and card. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive that mandated the card requires agencies to have the access systems in place, “to the maximum extent practicable,” by Oct. 25. Meeting that deadline is likely to be a challenge. “I don’t think its going to be possible for most agencies to continue doing business as usual and comply,” said Jim Dray of the...

ELECTION 2004Dean pushed 'smart card' IDsAlso suggested surfers be required to use PC reader before going online Posted: January 27, 20041:00 a.m. Eastern © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com Despite his campaign assurances that as president he would protect personal privacy, Democratic candidate Howard Dean, less than two years ago, advocated "smart card" IDs for all Americans and pushed a requirement that PCs include card readers to assure a user's identity before going online. Columnist Declan McCullagh, writing in CNet News, says in 2002 Dean made the pronouncements at a conference sponsored by a smart-card company. "We must move to smarter license cards that carry...

Smart card monitoring junk food Oct 18 2003 Children who fill themselves on a diet of chips, burgers and pizzas when it comes to school lunch are being monitored by an innovative system that keeps track of what they eat. The scheme, which runs at South Bromsgrove High School in Worcestershire, sees pupils issued with a smart card that keeps track of what they consume. Parents who are concerned about their child's diet can ask for an itemised print out of transactions made on the card listing all food items they have purchased. "Parents can find out what their...

Smart cards track commuters By Aaron Scullion BBC News Online staff Civil rights campaigners have expressed concerns about the new smart travelcards introduced for London commuters. Under the new system, Transport for London will be able to track a commuter's movements and it plans to retain information on journeys made for "a number of years" Each card has a unique ID number linked to the registered owner's name, which is recorded together with the location and time of the exchange every time the card is used. The data, retained for business purposes, could be released to law enforcement agencies...

SAN FRANCISCO, May 12 Two University of Cambridge computer security researchers plan to describe on Monday an ingenious and inexpensive attack that employs a $30 camera flashgun and a microscope to extract secret information contained in widely used smart cards. The newly discovered vulnerability is reason for alarm, the researchers said, because it could make it cost-effective for a criminal to steal information from the cards. Smart cards are used for dozens of different applications, including electronic identity protection, credit and debit cards and cellular phone payment and identity systems. The Cambridge researchers said they had discussed their discovery with...