The roll-out of Malta’s new upgraded e-passport system with extended access control capability has begun, following the delivery of the solution by local company Exigy which worked in partnership with De La Rue Identity Systems.
Exigy said this new solution delivers a higher level of security and access control, in accordance with the EU regulation for all Schengen member states, for the addition of a second biometric (two fingerprints) to the data already stored on the chip. Its delivery is a key milestone in the Maltese government’s ongoing strategic identity management plan.
Fully integrated with Malta’s existing National Identity Management System, EAC capability was launched initially in Malta and Gozo and will be rolled out across all embassy sites by the end of the year.
The EAC capability is a technically advanced solution that protects the e-passport’s sensitive second biometric through a process of authentication and by only granting access to authorised passport readers.
It is this PKI foundation that allows e-passports to be read solely at immigration control stations, making it even more difficult for criminals who seek access to the data for purposes of counterfeit or fraud.
EAC also links the embassies securely with the Identity Management Office using Exigy’s e-passport application work-flow.
Exigy’s front and back office applications enable the IDMO to process passport applications effectively.
“The EAC functionality which we have provided in partnership with Exigy puts Malta amongst the most advanced states in the world for e-passport capability and security,” commented James Thorburn, managing director at De La Rue Identity Systems.
Francois Grech, executive director, Exigy Ltd, said “With an advanced biometric repository, we have enabled a totally secure mechanism for passport issuance, which will continue to build upon the country’s successes within the e-government sphere.”
Exigy, a member of the M. Demajo Group, specialises in the delivery of strategic software solutions, aimed at providing customers with an effective bridge between business and technology.
De La Rue Identity Systems is a world expert in the delivery and management of secure government identity programmes, systems and solutions.