Johannesburg, 31 Mar 2008
Technology and methods conducive to fraud have increased exponentially over the past decade. Sophisticated duplicating facilities such as colour copiers, high definition scanners and colour printers are more accessible and generally available worldwide, making it easier for criminals to commit identity theft or falsify electronic information and documents.
However, during this time the implementation of methods to counter this type of fraud have remained mainly unchanged. This provides a breeding ground for fraud and fraudsters, says Jans Wessels, Managing Director of the Dex Group of companies.
But the problem can now be solved by the implementation of encoded data with a document, confirming its legible part. This will make the forging of identity documents, passports, vehicle licences, degrees and certificates, admission tickets, as well as electronic information and documents, almost impossible and enable the man in the street to verify information accurately.
For years, DexSecurity Solutions has been involved in the protection of data and, especially, the verification of paper documents. One application in this regard is the safeguarding of tickets worldwide for access control at sport stadiums and other mass gatherings. The latest breakthrough was when Dex was awarded the much sought-after access control contract at the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.
According to Wessels, big companies are fairly well-equipped to combat various types of fraud. But how can the man in the street, whose need for this kind of protection is on the increase, be safeguarded and how can the relevant technology be made available for all? The time has come to make technology accessible to everyone who needs to verify information.
The technology utilises encoding techniques which allow anyone to decode and read the information, while the document can only be set up by its author who knows the required code. The so-called public and private key or PKI technique ensures the origin of the document can be determined.
It is virtually impossible to enter a place such as the Koeberg nuclear power plant or a platinum mine unauthorised, because one`s identity is verified and tested in a variety of ways. On the other hand, it is possible to enter almost any ordinary office by wearing a false Telkom ID, because nobody knows how to verify its legitimacy.
To safeguard a paper document, encoded information has to be part of that document and must be easily decoded by available equipment in order to verify the validity of the document.
ID fraud trends have moved away from opportunistic criminals to professional fraudsters who are 'e-enabled'.
Jans Wessels, Managing Director of the Dex Group of companies.
For example: documents are provided with an encoded two-dimensional symbol. This symbol contains all the data which is on the document in an encoded format. It can then be read by means of ordinary communication equipment such as a fax machine, e-mail or even a cellphone. The information on the bar code is decoded and compared with the information on the document, to establish whether the contents have been tampered with, and to verify the author of the document.
This was made possible by merging various separate new technologies during the last number of years, one of which comprises breakthroughs in respect of two-dimensional barcoding and `sibology`. This technology has developed to such an extent that a full A4 page of information can be compacted and entered into a single bar code. The symbol is read by a machine and all the required data forms part of the document without the need to procure the information from another source.
A Unisa degree, for instance, can now be verified in this way, without any need to link up with the university`s database or any other central information store. So, when someone presents his/her degree or certificate for whatever purpose, the document with the symbol can immediately be verified via cellphone, fax or Internet to determine the true name, ID number, qualification, name of the university and a myriad of other information pertaining to the lawful owner. All that is now required, is that institutions and organisations start utilising the technology.
The same technology is being used at present to verify all tickets sold by Computicket and access tickets to various international soccer stadiums, and for safeguarding private pilot`s licences.
In terms of the so-called easy access concept entrenched by legislation in 2002, electronic documentation enjoys the same legal status and validity as paper documentation.
"It is a wonderful step forward, but not yet nearly enough," says Wessels. "The available technology is not yet applied comprehensively enough to stop falsifications and fraud, particularly where it would be of great value, although the technology is available and already in use at places where one would least expect it."
According to Wessels, everything can be protected. During exams, for instance, it can be established if a specific paper was written by a specific person, etc.
A large company in Namibia is negotiating with Dex at present with a view to safeguard academic and training environments.
The extent of identity fraud and cyber-crime:
* According to Alexander Forbes in South Africa, identity fraud and theft is becoming increasingly sophisticated with hackers accessing personal details of their victims over the Internet.
* Reuters says the rise of organised cyber-crime has led to a near 70% surge in the number of people falling victim to identity fraud.
* Credit reference agency Experian warned of the "industrialisation" of identity fraud - the escalating involvement of organised criminal gangs. ID fraud trends have moved away from opportunistic criminals to professional fraudsters who are "e-enabled, IT savvy and anti-social networked".
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