Infineon Snags RFID Passport Contract

The U.S. Government has awarded German-based chipmaker Infineon with a contract to provide a portion of the millions of RFID chips that will make their way into next-generation passports, the company said Monday. Financial terms and the size of the contract were not disclosed. The government expects to begin distributing the first RFID-enabled passports later this year, with 15 million slated to ship during the first year alone.

The RFID chips in the documents would hold information such as the name, date of birth, issue date and picture of the holder. Supporters of the technology, already in use in portions of Europe, say the chips and security technologies make the documents harder to copy. However, opponents disagree, saying hackers can still find a way around the security features and forge passports.