Supporting OSCE participating States to join the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD) to improve e-Passport Security

The objective of the project, implemented by the Transnational Threats Department’s Border Security and Management Unit (TNTD/BSMU), is to provide technical support to the OSCE participating States (pS) and Partners for Co-operation (PfC) in improving their electronic Passport (e-Passport) security by joining the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD).

Background

The number of countries issuing an e-Passport is increasing, largely in response to the growing threat posed by terrorism and organized crime. Generally, the value of an e-Passport is determined by the biometric and biographic information contained in its chip. Information on the chip, in turn, is only useful if it can be validated quickly and securely at the borders. The large amount of e-Passports being issued by a growing number of States has challenged the practice of bilaterally exchanging electronic certificates that verify the validity of e-Passport data.

In response, under the guidance of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) the Public Key Directory (PKD) has been established with the purpose to simplify and modernize the exchange of certificates and revocation lists. The ICAO PKD is a repository for certificates that are part of the validation process of e-Passports via Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. Validation of certificates enables border control authorities to determine whether a document held by a traveller has been issued by the responsible authority, whether biographic and biometric information on the chip has been altered after issuance as well as whether the certificates have been revoked. Joining the PKD is a proactive approach in fighting international terrorism and preventing the cross-border movement of terrorists by quickly and efficiently authenticating the digital signature in electronic passports.

Expected Results

This project aims to promote the benefits of joining ICAO PKD amongst all OSCE pS and Partners for Co-operation. In order to accomplish this objective, the project will focus on three main aspects: 1) Awareness-raising regional workshops; 2) Follow-up country visits; 3) Expert support for increasing national compliance with ICAO PKD standards.