Electronic ID cards and the Internet

Belgium is introducing electronic ID cards - in 3 years, everybody should have one replacing the old "paper" cards. The chip in the card holds the name of the person, date of birth, address, state registry number (pretty much the same as the American driver's license). The idea is to get every Belgian a card-reader, which could be used to securely file taxes over the Internet, request official documents without the hassle,...

Even Microsoft is jumping in:

Quote:

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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/02...gium_id_cards/
Microsoft will integrate the Belgian eID Card with MSN Messenger. Microsoft's Bill Gates and Belgian State Secretary for e-government Peter Vanvelthoven announced the alliance today in Brussels. "We’re working to ensure that our technologies support e-ID, to help make online transactions and communications more secure," Gates said. eID stands for Electronic Identity Card. The card contains an electronic chip and gradually will replace the existing ID card system in Belgium. By end-2005, over 3 million eID cards will be distributed in the country.

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Is this going to be the future?

CSC is the company that was chosen to make the cards.
The card readers feature 1024-bit public key cryptography, and require a PIN.

it will probably end up being like stealling credit cards but worse.

How's that?

You don't need a PIN for a credit card - all you need is the data that is printed on the card itself.
This card is only being used to prove one's identity. You need the card, and you need the PIN.
Assuming that someone steals your card and gets your PIN, all they could do is pay your taxes for you and request your birth certificate and stuff (they could do that with a stolen paper version as well - much like you can do it in the US with a stolen driver's license) ... they couldn't use it in real life since it features a picture of the owner.

So, Negative....what are your thoughts on this....you didn't mention. (Though I can guess)

Hmm, If it gets rid of the lines when renewing my car plates, its a good thing right?

It sounds like a good idea to me. Getting rid of paper, which is easier to forge than electronic IMO, is great.

I've felt for a long time that Credit Cards should have your picture on them as well as a PIN you have to enter to better the security of them. It think it's bullsh** that most vendors (at least in USA) accept CC without checking your drivers license to ensure the card is yours - at least in namesake. It's just much too loose.

Hurray for Belguim...maybe other countries will get _wise_ and adoption such measures.

Does anyone know if this is similar technology to what the U.S. government currently uses in its common access cards (CAC)?