Published: April 9, 2025
This article highlights the importance of chip-based eMRTDs (electronic Machine-Readable Travel Documents) in combating identity theft and deepfakes. Supported by ICAO and ISO standards, eMRTDs ensure secure and efficient identity verification by leveraging encrypted biometric data stored on embedded chips.
Chip-based biometrics are essential for secure identity verification, addressing modern fraud challenges and supporting a safe digital future.
Unlike optical methods, chip-based verification provides reliable, tamper-proof authentication and protects against manipulation, including deepfake attacks. Real-time verification and cryptographic security make cloning and fraud nearly impossible, fostering trust in remote identity processes.
The Evolving Threat Landscape: Identity Theft and Fraud
Fraud and identity theft, are escalating threats to national security and integrity, undermining financial systems and eroding trust.
As digital identities gain popularity for their convenience, their secure implementation is under scrutiny. This leaves physical credentials – such as electronic Machine-Readable Travel Documents (eMRTDs) like passports or other chipped identity documents – as the primary means of and most trusted foundation for establishing identities.
Identity verification methods that rely on visual inspections by camera or the naked eye are particularly vulnerable to sophisticated forgeries. High-quality counterfeit digital images of identity documents or optical security features may deceive even trained inspectors or automated systems. The acquisition of the holder’s facial image from a non-chipped identity document can be compromised by deepfake technology by manipulating the presented information in real time. This exposes significant security gaps in remote scenarios.
eMRTDs with their embedded chips and sophisticated physical security features like Diffractive Optically Variable Image Devices (DOVIDs) bridge the gap between physical and digital realms, enhancing security and facilitating identity verification. Supported by international standards developed by ICAO or ISO, eMRTDs offer unparalleled reliability in combating fraud and verifying identities, particularly in remote scenarios. By leveraging the encrypted chip data, eMRTDs allow for highly secure and efficient remote identity verification processes. Their adherence to international standards and seamless integration into verification workflows make them indispensable tools for government agencies, businesses and individuals seeking robust identity authentication solutions.
Why the Source Matters: Biometric Data From eMRTDs
The reliability of biometric authentication depends on the integrity of its data source. This makes the chip embedded in eMRTDs – which securely stores biometric and personal data – a critical component of identity verification. It establishes a reliable, direct link between the document and its holder, whilst also ensuring interoperability and compatibility across international borders.
Compared to visual biometric verification, which depends on factors such as video recordings, camera performance, lighting conditions and optical level 1 security features, chip-based identity verification offers numerous advantages. These include reliability, traceability, consistent performance and enhanced resistance to manipulation.
Chip-based identity verification enhances security through:
- Private-Public Key Security Certificates
Chip-enabled identity documents use private-public key certificates to ensure data integrity and authenticity. This cryptographic approach makes electronic verification both simple and reliable. The certificates confirm that the data has not been altered and that it originates from a legitimate source. The method also effectively prevents cloning, as the chip’s cryptographic keys are unique and cannot be duplicated without detection. - Real-Time Verification
Chip verification supports real-time checks, providing immediate liveness assurance that the document is present at a specific time and location. This significantly reduces the risks of fraud and unauthorized use while enhancing the trustworthiness of remote processes. - Elimination of Optical Variability Issues
Chip-based verification methods are unaffected by issues such as camera quality and resolution, poor lighting, or the need for tilting the document to inspect different security features. This makes the process quicker and less prone to human error. - Secure Storage of Personal Information
One of the most significant benefits of chip verification is the access to the holder’s biometric data, such as facial image, that can be directly matched to the document holder. This ensures accurate identification and minimizes the risk of impersonation. As all personal data is stored electronically, the security and reliability of the information is increased – data cannot be tampered with or altered without detection, be it attempts of deepfakes or other sophisticated digital manipulations.
The Role of MOBILE CHIP SDK in Biometric and eMRTD Based Identity Verification
ICAO 9303 and ISO/IEC 7816 establish international standards for eMRTDs, including foundational specifications for chip-based applications. This ensures security and integrity, consistency and global interoperability. While these ISO standards enhance the secure organization and protection of sensitive data, they enable quick and accurate verification using automated systems, minimize human error and enhance onboarding efficiency.
Biometric identifiers like facial images, fingerprints, and iris scans in eMRTD chips provide a secure method to confirm the rightful document holder. Advanced encryption and digital signatures protect data from unauthorized access and manipulation, thereby reinforcing the overall security of travel document verification.
OVD Kinegram’s MOBILE CHIP SDK emerges as a leading solution for eMRTD verification in remote onboarding and other scenarios. Seamlessly integrating into identity verification workflows and designed for compliance with ICAO and ISO requirements, it provides a trustworthy foundation for efficient and secure identity verification. The innovative solution supports real-time chip verification, providing immediate confirmation of data authenticity and biometric matches.
Key features of the MOBILE CHIP SDK:
- On-Premise Deployment: Operates within the customer’s environment, ensuring full control and acting as an enabler without external dependencies. This is especially critical for organizations prioritizing data privacy and compliance.
- Rapid Integration: Ready for deployment and fully functional in just one day, minimizing downtime and ensuring that organizations can promptly respond to workflow demands.
- Uncompromising Data Security: Keeps all data under the customer’s control, giving users maximum confidence in safety, confidentiality and compliance.
With its robust functionality and customer-centric approach, the MOBILE CHIP SDK offers unparalleled reliability and efficiency for modern KYC processes.
Download Biometrics Institute Concepts and Solutions Report “The future of responsible biometrics”
This edition of the Biometrics Institute Concepts and Solutions Report focuses on the future of responsible biometrics – what trends are being seen and solutions that are available, from Biometrics Institute members. Building upon the success of our previous reports, which have been downloaded over 16,000 times, this 2025 edition aims to provide valuable insights and guidance as biometrics continue to permeate every aspect of our lives.
As digital identity solutions continue to evolve, leveraging eMRTD chips for remote identity verification serve as the gold standard for high-assurance scenarios. It not only upholds the highest security standards but also fosters trust in remote onboarding and digital identity processes. By maximizing the use of biometric data securely stored on chips, organizations can achieve the highest level of reliability in identity verification, strengthen fraud prevention, and enhance user trust. As digital identity verification becomes an integral part of modern life, adopting chip-based verification methods contributes to a safe, seamless and trustworthy future to prevent deep fakes on identity documents.
