A SIMcard is an integrated circuit (IC) intended to securely store an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number and its related key, which are used to identify and authenticate subscribers on mobile telephone devices. SIMs are also able to store address book contacts information, and may be protected using a PIN code to prevent unauthorized use.
Security printing is the field of the printing industry that deals with the printing of items such as banknotes, cheques, passports, tamper-evident labels, security tapes, product authentication, stock certificates, postage stamps, and identity cards. The main goal of security printing is to prevent forgery, tampering, or counterfeiting. More recently many of the techniques used to protect these high-value documents have become more available to commercial printers, whether they are using the more traditional offset and flexographic presses or the newer digital platforms. Businesses are protecting their lesser-value documents such as transcripts, coupons and prescription pads by incorporating some of the features listed below to ensure that they cannot be forged or that alteration of the data cannot occur undetected.
A kinebar is a gold bar that has a diffractive optically variable image device embossed into the surface of the gold. The device used is a "Kinegram" made by OVD Kinegram AG (Switzerland).
Optically variable ink (OVI) also called color shifting ink is an anti-counterfeiting measure used on many major modern banknotes, as well as on other official documents.
A glossary of terms relating to systems theory.
Greek passports are issued to Greek citizens for the purpose of international travel. Biometric passports have been issued since 26 August 2006, with old-style passports being declared invalid as of 1 January 2007. Since June 2009, the passport's RFID chip includes two index fingerprints as well as a high-resolution JPEG image of the passport holder. From 18 December 2023, issuance of the new generation of Greek passports was started by selected authorities and after 9 January 2024, only the new generation of passports are issued. Every Greek citizen is also a citizen of the European Union. The passport, along with the national identity card allows for free rights of movement and residence in any of the states of the European Union, European Economic Area, and Switzerland.
The Estonian identity card is a mandatory identity document for citizens of Estonia. In addition to regular identification of a person, an ID-card can also be used for establishing one's identity in electronic environment and for giving one's digital signature. Within Europe as well as French overseas territories, Georgia and Tunisia the Estonian ID-card can be used by the citizens of Estonia as a travel document.
A physical unclonable function, or PUF, is a physical object whose operation cannot be reproduced ("cloned") in physical way, that for a given input and conditions (challenge), provides a physically defined "digital fingerprint" output (response). that serves as a unique identifier, most often for a semiconductor device such as a microprocessor. PUFs are often based on unique physical variations occurring naturally during semiconductor manufacturing. A PUF is a physical entity embodied in a physical structure. PUFs are implemented in integrated circuits, including FPGAs, and can be used in applications with high-security requirements, more specifically cryptography, Internet of Things (IOT) devices and privacy protection.
The Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online (PRADO) is an online repository of security features in travel documents maintained by the Council of the European Union. It contains information on some of the most important security features of identity and travel documents of countries within the European Union, all Schengen Area countries, of other neighbouring countries, and third countries worldwide.
Security holograms are labels with a hologram printed onto it for sale security reasons.
The Italian electronic identity card, or simply carta d'identità, is an identification document issued to any Italian citizen and to legal aliens, that has been progressively replacing the paper-based identity card since version 3.0 was first released on 4 July 2016. The CIE is intended for both digital and physical identification. The biometric information is printed on an ID-1 card and stored in a contactless chip.
The German Identity Card is issued to German nationals by local registration offices in Germany and diplomatic missions abroad, while it is produced at the Bundesdruckerei in Berlin.
The Portuguese identity card, is an identity document issued by the Government of Portugal to its citizens. The card replaces several previous documents, including the Bilhete de Identidade, Social Security card, National Health Service card, Taxpayer card and voter registration card, in one secure card. The Citizen Card was first issued in the Azores in mid-2006. However, as of 2017 BIs continued to be issued in some cases.
Maltese identity cards are issued to Maltese citizens. They can be used as a travel document when visiting countries in the European Union and the European Economic Area.
Structural coloration in animals, and a few plants, is the production of colour by microscopically structured surfaces fine enough to interfere with visible light instead of pigments, although some structural coloration occurs in combination with pigments. For example, peacock tail feathers are pigmented brown, but their microscopic structure makes them also reflect blue, turquoise, and green light, and they are often iridescent.
The Greek identity card is the official national identification document for Greek citizens. It is issued by the Hellenic Police.
The security features governing the security of an identity can be divided into three levels of security: Level 1 Security (L1S) (Overt), Level 2 Security (L2S) (Covert) and Level 3 Security (L3S) (Forensic). These three levels of security, in combination, provide comprehensive security coverage for identities and related documents to ensure their validity and authenticity. These are typically used to protect identity information on crucial documents such as identity cards, driving licenses, and passports to ensure the originality and accuracy of the identities they represent. The diagram below illustrates the different levels of security and how they ensure complete security coverage of an identity.
A diffractive optically variable image device (DOVID) is a type of optical variable device; a security feature based on visual effects created by diffraction. The acronym was coined by Ian Lancaster of Reconnaissance International in 1995. He pointed out that the security print industry was wary of holograms and similar diffractive devices because they were used as decorative, promotional and toy items, proposing the use of DOVID as a means to differentiate security diffractive optical devices from these other uses.
The Voting Credential, also known as Elector Credential, INE Card, and Mexican Voter ID Card, is an official document issued by the National Electoral Institute (INE) that allows Mexican citizens of legal age to participate in local and federal elections in Mexico, in addition to being the most accepted document as official identification for all civil, administrative, commercial, labor, judicial and, in general, all acts in which, by law, the person must identify themselves. It is considered the Mexican Identity Card.
