Malta has officially launched biometric passports, joining other EU member states in implementing the technology. The new passports contain an embedded chip that stores the holder’s facial image and fingerprints.
While biometric passports represent an improvement in document security, they also raise important questions about privacy and data protection:
- The security of the RFID chip and the protocols used to read the biometric data
- The potential for unauthorized reading of passport data (skimming)
- Storage and protection of biometric databases
- The effectiveness of biometric matching in real-world conditions
Previous research has shown that some implementations of biometric passports have been vulnerable to cloning attacks. It will be important to monitor how the Maltese implementation addresses these known issues.
The move towards biometric identification is part of a broader EU initiative, and Malta’s adoption brings us in line with international standards for travel document security.