Title: SUMMARY

Chapter 5 summarises research and developments aimed at improving PKI by utilising biometrics. Main approaches such as (1) the use of biometrics in order to secure the access to the private key by the user, (2) the use of the biometrics as an electronic signature and (3) the use of biometric characteristics as a private key in a PKI environment have been discussed. Currently, most of those approaches are either still at the concept level, or in a pilot phase. Further information is available via the BEE project and the BioVision report. 

The current regulations of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for the integration of biometric identification information into passports and other Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs) are dealing with integration of biometrics and PKI as well. In this case the suggested system only supports the digital signature of the documents by the issuing state and key management handled by the ICAO. More detail on this will be available in FIDIS Deliverable 3.7 “Study on ID documents”.