Thread: FBI Prepares Vast Database Of Biometrics

FBI Prepares Vast Database Of Biometrics
$1 Billion Project to Include Images of Irises and Faces
By Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 22, 2007; A01

CLARKSBURG, W. Va. -- The FBI is embarking on a $1 billion effort to build the world's largest computer database of peoples' physical characteristics, a project that would give the government unprecedented abilities to identify individuals in the United States and abroad.

Digital images of faces, fingerprints and palm patterns are already flowing into FBI systems in a climate-controlled, secure basement here. Next month, the FBI intends to award a 10-year contract that would significantly expand the amount and kinds of biometric information it receives. And in the coming years, law enforcement authorities around the world will be able to rely on iris patterns, face-shape data, scars and perhaps even the unique ways people walk and talk, to solve crimes and identify criminals and terrorists. The FBI will also retain, upon request by employers, the fingerprints of employees who have undergone criminal background checks so the employers can be notified if employees have brushes with the law.

"Bigger. Faster. Better. That's the bottom line," said Thomas E. Bush III, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, which operates the database from its headquarters in the Appalachian foothills.

The increasing use of biometrics for identification is raising questions about the ability of Americans to avoid unwanted scrutiny. It is drawing criticism from those who worry that people's bodies will become de facto national identification cards. Critics say that such government initiatives should not proceed without proof that the technology really can pick a criminal out of a crowd.

The use of biometric data is increasing throughout the government. For the past two years, the Defense Department has been storing in a database images of fingerprints, irises and faces of more than 1.5 million Iraqi and Afghan detainees, Iraqi citizens and foreigners who need access to U.S. military bases. The Pentagon also collects DNA samples from some Iraqi detainees, which are stored separately.

The Department of Homeland Security has been using iris scans at some airports to verify the identity of travelers who have passed background checks and who want to move through lines quickly. The department is also looking to apply iris- and face-recognition techniques to other programs. The DHS already has a database of millions of sets of fingerprints, which includes records collected from U.S. and foreign travelers stopped at borders for criminal violations, from U.S. citizens adopting children overseas, and from visa applicants abroad. There could be multiple records of one person's prints.

"It's going to be an essential component of tracking," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the Technology and Liberty Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. "It's enabling the Always On Surveillance Society."

If successful, the system planned by the FBI, called Next Generation Identification, will collect a wide variety of biometric information in one place for identification and forensic purposes.

In an underground facility the size of two football fields, a request reaches an FBI server every second from somewhere in the United States or Canada, comparing a set of digital fingerprints against the FBI's database of 55 million sets of electronic fingerprints. A possible match is made -- or ruled out--as many as 100,000 times a day.

Soon, the server at CJIS headquarters will also compare palm prints and, eventually, iris images and face-shape data such as the shape of an earlobe. If all goes as planned, a police officer making a traffic stop or a border agent at an airport could run a 10-fingerprint check on a suspect and within seconds know if the person is on a database of the most wanted criminals and terrorists. An analyst could take palm prints lifted from a crime scene and run them against the expanded database. Intelligence agents could exchange biometric information worldwide.

More than 55 percent of the search requests now are made for background checks on civilians in sensitive positions in the federal government, and jobs that involve children and the elderly, Bush said. Currently those prints are destroyed or returned when the checks are completed. But the FBI is planning a "rap-back" service, under which employers could ask the FBI to keep employees' fingerprints in the database, subject to state privacy laws, so that if that employees are ever arrested or charged with a crime, the employers would be notified.

Advocates say bringing together information from a wide variety of sources and making it available to multiple agencies increases the chances to catch criminals. The Pentagon has already matched several Iraqi suspects against the FBI's criminal fingerprint database. The FBI intends to make both criminal and civilian data available to authorized users, officials said. There are 900,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers who can query the fingerprint database today, they said.

The FBI's biometric database, which includes criminal history records, communicates with the Terrorist Screening Center's database of suspects and the National Crime Information Center database, which is the FBI's master criminal database of felons, fugitives and terrorism suspects.

The FBI is building its system according to standards shared by Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

At the West Virginia University Center for Identification Technology Research (CITeR), 45 minutes north of the FBI's biometric facility in Clarksburg, researchers are working on capturing images of people's irises at distances of up to 15 feet, and of faces from as far away as 200 yards. Soon, those researchers will do biometric research for the FBI.

Covert iris- and face-image capture is several years away, but it is of great interest to government agencies.

Think of a Navy ship approaching a foreign vessel, said Bojan Cukic, CITeR's co-director. "It would help to know before you go on board whether the people on that ship that you can image from a distance, whether they are foreign warfighters, and run them against a database of known or suspected terrorists," he said.

Skeptics say that such projects are proceeding before there is evidence that they reliably match suspects against a huge database.

In the world's first large-scale, scientific study on how well face recognition works in a crowd, the German government this year found that the technology, while promising, was not yet effective enough to allow its use by police. The study was conducted from October 2006 through January at a train station in Mainz, Germany, which draws 23,000 passengers daily. The study found that the technology was able to match travelers' faces against a database of volunteers more than 60 percent of the time during the day, when the lighting was best. But the rate fell to 10 to 20 percent at night.

To achieve those rates, the German police agency said it would tolerate a false positive rate of 0.1 percent, or the erroneous identification of 23 people a day. In real life, those 23 people would be subjected to further screening measures, the report said.

Accuracy improves as techniques are combined, said Kimberly Del Greco, the FBI's biometric services section chief. The Next Generation database is intended to "fuse" fingerprint, face, iris and palm matching capabilities by 2013, she said.

To safeguard privacy, audit trails are kept on everyone who has access to a record in the fingerprint database, Del Greco said. People may request copies of their records, and the FBI audits all agencies that have access to the database every three years, she said.

"We have very stringent laws that control who can go in there and to secure the data," Bush said.

Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the ability to share data across systems is problematic. "You're giving the federal government access to an extraordinary amount of information linked to biometric identifiers that is becoming increasingly inaccurate," he said.

In 2004, the Electronic Privacy Information Center objected to the FBI's exemption of the National Crime Information Center database from the Privacy Act requirement that records be accurate. The group noted that the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2001 found that information in the system was "not fully reliable" and that files "may be incomplete or inaccurate." FBI officials justified that exemption by claiming that in law enforcement data collection, "it is impossible to determine in advance what information is accurate, relevant, timely and complete."

Privacy advocates worry about the ability of people to correct false information. "Unlike say, a credit card number, biometric data is forever," said Paul Saffo, a Silicon Valley technology forecaster. He said he feared that the FBI, whose computer technology record has been marred by expensive failures, could not guarantee the data's security. "If someone steals and spoofs your iris image, you can't just get a new eyeball," Saffo said.

In the future, said CITeR director Lawrence A. Hornak, devices will be able to "recognize us and adapt to us."

"The long-term goal," Hornak said, is "ubiquitous use" of biometrics. A traveler may walk down an airport corridor and allow his face and iris images to be captured without ever stepping up to a kiosk and looking into a camera, he said.

"That's the key," he said. "You've chosen it. You have chosen to say, 'Yeah, I want this place to recognize me.' "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... id=topnews

'MORE TELLING THEN THE ARTICLE, ARE THE COMMENTS!!!! - all 77 of them

windrider2 wrote:
One nation, under surveillance, with liberty and justice for none. Remember, folks, the crushing of freedom of America has come from the right, not the left. These police state tactics have been created and enforced by Republicans, not Democrats. It looks like the GOP "defeated" the tyranny of the USSR so they could create one of their own without being challenged for supremacy.
12/22/2007 8:25:17 AM

pk1919 wrote:
1984, anyone? The FBI has more than enough data about US citizens; ok, for the immigrants from MidEast or Hispanics. Their promise of it being available to other law enforcement is about as much of a promise that has come out of the Repug spin machine of the past 7 yrs. An admin that I hope our nation NEVER sees again. ALL the voters of the poor or almost poor middle class need to go to the polls and vote OUT everyone who is NOW in DC and supports the Idiot in Chief and the Vice Idiot in Chief; yes, we also need to remove Pelosi and Reid. We need strong Democratic leaders who will stand up to these warmongering, money grubbing excuses for leaders. I am thinking GOP stands for GREEDY OLD PERVERTS after all we have learned about many of them this past year. Former Prez. Clinton ruined a dress and hurt his family, a far cry from destroying a nation and killing nearly 4000 American soldiers. NOT a valid comparison in my book. Which would you choose: a Rhodes scholar or a rich boy whose daddy paid his way out of any kind of problem and hid him out from his military duty? No choice for me--I choose the scholar over the spoiled coward. If you think Homeland Security is bad at airports now, just wait until all this info is suddenly required to fly! Jan. 20, 2009 cannot arrive soon enough for me. I am sick of the hypocritical joke of the so-called Christians. Jesus NEVER hung out with the rich; he took care of the sick and ordinary people, so unlike the power and money grabbing leaders we now have. I would love to have a bumper sticker that says "Honk if you voted Repug, then we know for sure, you, too, are an idiot! With this info gathering, we get closer still to the tattoo on the forearm. Little Hitler is on the prowl. It is amazing how we are a real parallel to Nazi Germany. Voters can no longer be apathetic; we have to dissent and be LOUD and VOCAL about it. No more hypocrisy, please!!!!!!!!!!
12/22/2007 8:22:38 AM

sirmio99 wrote:
Perhaps,citizens unification could bring about changes: Stop paying taxes, buying insurance and gas, making contributions, striking from work when unahppy and not voting...What a thought! Money saved would generate less hunger in our Country, pay for health insurance (probably abroad), reverting to the Bartering system could be a positive and rewarding thought.
Is this our Country? Are we proud of it? Do we want to save it? Then why not clean up Washington from all those who don't listen, ask us and reppresent us only for their own pocket lining? I for one loved the "ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION" with freedom and justice for all.

12/22/2007 8:19:16 AM


jvandeswaluw1 wrote:
My doubts about 9/11 are increasing day by day. This tragic moment in history turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the BushCo ádministration'. The worst part of it was suspending habeas corpus. Without habeas corpus anybody can be be put behind bars; because there's no need to
'deliver the body' !!
12/22/2007 8:18:27 AM

clyde2 wrote:
Question: How do you get the Biometrics of terrorists or criminals? I mean, we catch them, measure them, then let them go? And since when do "employers" recieve updated rap sheets on their employees? Given my personal 18 year experience with gov't computer and server systems, this thing sounds a lot worse for average Joe than Ossama and Co.
12/22/2007 8:12:23 AM

nestorb98 wrote:
The Fuhrer would be proud!

OMG...this now means my biometrics are furtherly triangulated because I posted this... Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to belittle the significance of all this.
It's just that we lost some ten million people last century trying to stave off facism and we've now elected them.

(Knock on the door)... Washington Post posts???...never heard of them...

Corporations, like milk cartons, should have expiration dates. Sorta like our government. I wonder, can this be changed?
12/22/2007 8:11:59 AM

ctmont wrote:
Isn't it interesting that we can spend billions on stuff like this, while our federal highway system is a shambles and bridges are creaking and falling down.

All the roads leading into Richmond, the capital of the Old Dominion state are riddled with potholes. Along the once beautiful highways of New Jersey the weeds in the median strips and along the road grow waist high to a grown man.

We've become a disgrace to the once great civilization that spawned us.

12/22/2007 8:11:29 AM

mammoth1 wrote:
The biometric data should be turned on the criminals in the NSA, the CIA, the FBI, the Pentagon, the White House, the war priteers, the private armies of Blackwater and their ilk,and on the people really running this $Zionist$ one -world government initiative.
12/22/2007 8:11:25 AM

blasmaic wrote:
What if an airport detects that an al Qaeda big is entering the USA -- do they disrupt the plot or follow it to others? Why can't the government already use this type of face recognition technology? -- Las Vegas has used it for years.

12/22/2007 8:06:39 AM


jvandeswaluw1 wrote:
Every branch of this administration is being politicised, like it was in Nazi- Germany.
12/22/2007 8:06:20 AM

defiore14 wrote:
Huxley was right! Orwell too. This "Next Generation Identification" won't need ID at all.
12/22/2007 8:06:18 AM


katman13 wrote:
Personally, I'm beginning to look forward to the end of "modern" civilization. Anyone else?
12/22/2007 8:02:59 AM

tryreason wrote:
I find it interesting that our government is providing one billion dollars to compile as much information about each of us as they can while at the same time they are obstructing efforts by prosecutors to find out if they have been engaging in corrupt practices. Whether republicans wish to admit it or not the fachist tendencies of powerful people in government got a big boost from Nixon and have been increasing with every successive president. Bush has repealed or ignored various acts of the freedom of information act and now declares that as the commander in cheif he does not have to abide by the law of the land. Sounds an awful lot like a dictator in the making to me. Perhaps all they really wish is to have a corporate style government as some have suggested but do we really wish to live in a country where our vote is really meaningless and we have to content ourselves with the goodwill of of managers and the CEO.
12/22/2007 8:02:37 AM

petekusnick1 wrote:
Keep an eye on this and let us know when this assemblage is up and running. The Simspson's movie has a scene where the NSA finds Lisa & Co using myriad worker bees listening in on every conversation. Dare I say when they spy the family S one spy gets up and screams: "I can't believe it. We actually found someone we're looking for". I smell an IPO.
12/22/2007 8:01:38 AM
Recommend (0) Report Abuse Discussion Policy

rockylrue wrote:
The FBI has shown beyond any reasonable doubt (referring to the pre-Bush version of the "law") that it is the primary political enforcer for the status quo. Plenty of court cases across the nation to verify.

In defense of the FBI (the only one I can find of late), it can't even get ballistics or DNA "evidence" pure so what makes anyone think they will do any better with data mining? Then again, the status quo response to that is to just eliminate their burden of proof and haebeas corpus altogether (welcome to post-Bush law) and "proof" (translate, YOUR DEFENSE) becomes unnecessary to imprison, convict and murder any opposing force it chooses.

It is interesting to note statistics state
crime across the country has been declining in many areas for over a decade. At the same time, "law enforcement" has mammothed. What does that tell you? Something just doesn't add up. Why is it we rarely ever hear about the billions of dollars our "justice" system extracts in alleged "drug" dollars, automobiles and other assets routinely extracted from the "accused?" Criminality is big bucks for big brother! Like any corporate interest, the insatiable pursuit of that net profit is at the heart.

Sorry but I can't find a shred of any "good intentions."

For those willing to sell your soul to this idea and this regime, it seems apparent you would also believe that "it will never happen to you." I would like to smoke some of that and I will never die!

Hitler's rise to power was not overnight...a piece- by-piece, systematic implementation.

Our nation is very sick and everyone one of us must get off our butts and get to work.

Otherwise, see you in the pen!
12/22/2007 7:58:37 AM

jvandeswaluw1 wrote:
The Titanic is sinking but in the background I can hear the BushCo Orchestra playing her last piece of music. Yes, dictators don't rule forever.
12/22/2007 7:58:32 AM

thmak wrote:
We are the most controlled and surveilled citizens of the world through biometrics, and taxes than any other citizens in the world or in any dictatorial country
12/22/2007 7:58:28 AM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... ments.html

But the sheeple will say...

"Oh, that's just for aliens and criminals." WRONG!

Do you have a driver's license? They've got your picture and probably your thumb or fingerprint.

Ever been arrested? Not convicted, arrested. Complete fingerprints.

Been to the hospital? They've got your DNA.

Go shopping much, use a 'discount card'? They know what you buy.

Public library? They know what you read.

Did you go to school? They've got your records.

Serve in the military? They've got it ALL.

Ridden in commercial aircraft? Walked into a Federal building? The Post Office? The IRS office? The local courthouse?

Yep, Huxley and Orwell were prophets, and the sheeple ALL said, "BAAAAAH..."

The FBI is embarking on a $1 billion effort to build the world's largest computer database of peoples' physical characteristics, a project that would give the government unprecedented abilities to identify individuals in the United States and abroad.

Well this is Great news for the FBI's Crime fighting abilities. Its Bad news for criminals and counterculturalists types.

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

The FBI is embarking on a $1 billion effort to build the world's largest computer database of peoples' physical characteristics, a project that would give the government unprecedented abilities to identify individuals in the United States and abroad.

Well this is Great news for the FBI's Crime fighting abilities. Its Bad news for criminals and counterculturalists types.

So tell me Greg, is it your assertion that "counterculturists types" don't have a right to privacy as citizens in this nation? And exactly whose definition of "counterculturists types" will we be using in this Orwellian nightmare?

Would they be survivalists?

Would they be home-schoolers?

How about Jehovah's Witnesses?

John Birchers?

ALIPAC members?

Anyone that doesn't agree with the NWO?

Please respond, I'd really like to know...