A Taxonomy of Cryptographic Techniques for Securing Electronic Identity Documents

Abstract

There is a wide range of cryptographic techniques that may serve to prevent attacks on electronic identity documents (e-IDs). Many e-ID systems – including the ICAO ePass and virtually all national electronic identity cards – make intensive use of these methods. The first purpose of this work is to identify all cryptographic techniques that make an electronic identity document secure. As a second step, these techniques are grouped into several distinct classes. And third, they are evaluated according to their application areas and according to their advantages and disadvantages. In the fourth part of the paper, the ICAO ePass and the German electronic identity card (ePA) are examined with a view on the cryptographic techniques they use.