Is that Real? Identification and Assessment of the Counterfeiting Threat for U.S. Banknotes (BMED)

A key mission of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing of the Department of the Treasury is the design and printing of U.S. banknotes. The BEP is responsible for producing easily recognizable currency that is difficult to counterfeit. In recent years, the bureau has recognized the modern information technology could lead to entirely new types of counterfeiting threats, and it has requested a number of studies by the NRC to assess these evolving threats. In this new request, the BEP asked the NRC to identify and evaluate significant emerging counterfeiting threats and to assess technologically feasible counterfeit-deterrent features for potential use in new designs. This first report provides an assessment of emerging threats including a wide range of digital imaging and printing techniques. It also presents an analysis of a systems approach to the counterfeiting threat. The second report will offer an evaluation of new banknote features to address these threats.

Summary of a Workshop on the Technology, Policy, and Cultural Dimensions of Biometric Systems (CSTB)

Released 2/6/2006

Biometrics—the use of physiological and behavioral characteristics for identification purposes—has been promoted as a way to enhance security and identification efficiency. There are questions, however, about, among other issues, the effectiveness of biometric security measures, usability, and the social impacts of biometric technologies. To address these and other important questions, the NRC was asked by DARPA, the DHS, and the CIA to undertake a comprehensive assessment of biometrics that examines current capabilities, future possibilities, and the role of the government in their developments. As a first step, a workshop was held at which a variety of views about biometric technologies and systems were presented. This report presents a summary of the workshop’s five panels: scientific and technical challenges; measurement, statistics, testing, and evaluation; legislative, policy, human, and cultural factors; scenarios and applications; and technical and policy aspects of information sharing. The results of this workshop coupled with other information will form the basis of the study’s final report.

Defending the U.S. Air Transportation System Against Chemical and Biological Threats (NMAB)

Released 2/20/2006

While firearms and explosives have been used in most terrorist attacks to date, chemical and biological weapons also pose a serious threat. In addition to their potential for generating mass casualties, there is no technology today to adequately respond to them. Of particular concern are the risks these weapons pose for the air transportation system. This threat is the focus of the second is a series of studies carried out by the NRC at the request of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on promising technologies to protect the air transportation system against terrorist attacks. This report presents an assessment of the chemical and biological threat to air transportation, an examination of detection and non-detection based defensive strategies, and an analysis of implementation of these strategies focusing on the role of the TSA.