All Hong Kong's 6.8 million residents will be offered free digital IDs for use in secure online transactions when a new "smart" national identity card is introduced in mid-2003.
Published:
29 December 2001 y., Saturday
Hong Kong's Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Carrie Yau, announced the optional inclusion of a digital certificate on the national ID card last week. At the same time Yau was proposing amendments to Hong Kong law to prepare for the introduction of the electronic ID card.
The controversial, "smart" ID card will replace existing national identity cards held by all Hong Kong residents for immigration and foreign travel purposes. The new chip card is controversial because it will contain other applications in addition to identity details, raising privacy concerns.
Yau said in a statement that these applications - including driving license, library card and even an electronic purse - would now be optional. She also said the government would legislate for the protection of the data privacy of ID card holders, including new offenses for the unauthorized access, use, storage and disclosure of personal information held on the card.
The offer of a free digital certificate with each ID card is part of the government's e-business and e-government drive. An e-certificate issued by the Hongkong Post Certification Authority would be embedded into the card's memory chip.
The digital certificate allows the holder to transact securely with government Web sites, e-commerce merchants and banks through a unique digital signature.
The government says a new card is necessary in the first place as the computer system supporting old ID cards is becoming antiquated. It also wants to introduce a "smart" ID card that offers more protection against forgery and allows secure authentication of the card holder's identity.
Šaltinis:
Newsbytes
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Software company announced new structure_ of it_s business.
more »
Networking sites like Facebook and YouTube are changing politics.
more »
Vendor to service almost 4,000 existing ATMs and supply another 450.
more »
The advent of deposit automation, facilitated in many ways by the implementation of Check 21, is not only improving check-handling processes at the self-service terminal – it also is improving handling within the bank branch itself.
more »
The Moroccan Post Office, Barid Al-Maghrib, has selected Bull to act as project manager on the automation project for its International Mail Center in Casablanca.
more »
Gemalto has taken home one of the most coveted technology prizes in Austin with its Smart Enterprise Guardian (SEG).
more »
Banks in Australia are rushing to install gas detectors into their ATMs, as gas-explosive attacks on ATMs in the country continue to climb.
more »
EMC CEO Joe Tucci and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showcase deep technology collaboration at New York CIO Summit.
more »
India-based mChek looks to offer its secured SIM-card-based mobile applications through partnership with Gemalto.
more »
Nearly one week after news emerged of the big data breach at Princeton, N.J.-based merchant acquirer Heartland Payment Systems Inc., it remains unclear how much damage actually happened and who did it.
more »
Wincor Nixdorf AG has announced the release of an enhanced security product for bank branches called ProTect.
more »