Electronic driver's licence coming to South Africa

[cpu.]

It's read-only for a reason.


That's because all the details on the license card is contained in the barcode on the card.

I scanned a photo (from/on another phone) of my license disc with the FNB app and it was read correctly.

The same can be done with your photo license and police scanning device.

 

[DA-LION-619]

I scanned a photo (from/on another phone) of my license disc with the FNB app and it was read correctly.

The same can be done with your photo license and police scanning device.

No. Your car license disc and drivers license use the type of barcode but the drivers license is encrypted also much harder to capture with a camera.

A device with a laser is normally used, specifically to read barcodes. There’s a lot packed into those 720 bytes, like your photo that’s on your drivers license card.

 

[DA-LION-619]

I'm not 100% sure but I dot think permanent residents get an ID number.

That's the only problem I can think off, because what you are describing is how Europe or parts of it work.

They get an ID number, just can’t get a smart card.

 

[cpu.]

No. Your car license disc and drivers license use the type of barcode but the drivers license is encrypted also much harder to capture with a camera.

A device with a laser is normally used, specifically to read barcodes. There’s a lot packed into those 720 bytes, like your photo that’s on your drivers license card.

I just had a try with my camera and the photo looks decent, but I did see some people manage to take photos with a Huawei P30 Pro and make it look like a older device's camera.

 

[Ginad28]

I guess this is a step in the right direction, but shouldn't we just have a digital ID where all these things link to?

Like with the ID it can then check the validity of your license, passport, vaccine id etc

A better idea

 

[Ginad28]

i am trying to understand how they will secure this

App will show an electronic copy of your drivers license.

App is secure with ...? username / password or phone number?

i smell a scam starting with number porting and ID theft.

sigh

So do I

 

[Herr der Verboten]

kfc?

 

[Ginad28]

What a question kfc indeed

 

[quovadis]

It's read-only for a reason.

If it can store your biometric data for offline verification it can be used to store license data but regardless if you can extract the ID number from the card you can lookup the license via eNatis' database for confirmation.

 

[DA-LION-619]

I just had a try with my camera and the photo looks decent, but I did see some people manage to take photos with a Huawei P30 Pro and make it look like a older device's camera.

It can look decent but it's a barcode.
If you compare the two, you'll see one is more dense than the other so it makes error correction much harder the same as a QR code.
Because of the encryption if a single byte is off, the whole thing is useless.

If it can store your biometric data for offline verification it can be used to store license data but regardless if you can extract the ID number from the card you can lookup the license via eNatis' database for confirmation.

It uses the biometric data to validate against itself, the biometric data can't be extracted.
People with disabilities are meant to use a PIN, kinda like a bank card.

You don't need the access to the chip for the ID number, it's in a barcode on the card in plain text.

 

[McGuywer]

My troubles with the current system:

New driver's licences for South Africa

I gave up on registering for any car stuffs. It`s best to just keep out of the system and do your own thing like taxis.

mybroadband.co.za

This is with the current system. How would adding a digital card solve this?

 

[phoneJunky]

I'm not 100% sure but I dot think permanent residents get an ID number.

That's the only problem I can think off, because what you are describing is how Europe or parts of it work.

They do, the 3rd last digit is just 1 instead of 0 like citizens.

We do normally follow Europe so if it work like that there it will probably still come later.

 

[dualmeister]

Also currently with some places you have to hand in your physical drivers license and it is only returned when you leave (Naval Docks, Simons Town). So how will this work if you only have an electronic copy.

 

[The_Librarian]

next up - digital sex (a la Demolition Man).

 

[krycor]

Also currently with some places you have to hand in your physical drivers license and it is only returned when you leave (Naval Docks, Simons Town). So how will this work if you only have an electronic copy.

Well if they scan your identity they can send you notification and even via appropriate systems even fine you.. you know it’s coming.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Just imagine having to hand over your R30k precious smartphone to the cop at the next roadblock...

Yeah no thanks.

 

[krycor]

i am trying to understand how they will secure this

App will show an electronic copy of your drivers license.

App is secure with ...? username / password or phone number?

i smell a scam starting with number porting and ID theft.

sigh

Use the existing "Smart" ID card and store the licenses and codes on it. Give law enforcement the ability to scan the card to verify.

Basically there are two cases to verification here..
1. Government sanctioned
This is government controlled via certificates and controls what a department, industry or company can access based on user or government access grants. This is will be via appropriate frameworks or devices..

2. Independant
Here you would have artifacts on the card display which can verify that it is valid(not expired), authentic and allowed for user.

In US they have experimented with weird 3D scan images etc with date time etc taking a pic of the card and showing it to someone who knows what to look for would not work.

Add on a online challenge aspect and you can’t replicate even if you are the right person. Of cause risk is always person/teller interacting with.

For those suggesting to take a picture of the license. I have front and back of my driver's license on my Samsung Pay app, got stopped at a roadblock and fined for failing to present the card.

Would fail.. what you need is a certified photocopy of your drivers license. Unfortunately it’s only valid for 3months but most would allow you to pass.. I keep a copy of mine and spouse in each of our cars in case we forgot our card/wallet. Bit risky I guess.. use to do this via key pocket on house keys but it broke.

 

[Zukat]

That's because all the details on the license card is contained in the barcode on the card.

Would the barcode not scan of the phone picture, then how will this govt proposal not face the same challenges?

 

[DA-LION-619]

Would the barcode not scan of the phone picture, then how will this govt proposal not face the same challenges?

You've probably experienced this if you also keep your loyalty cards in the app, at the till they might not work because scanners aren't calibrated to read barcodes from a screen.
When you take a photo, it isn't perfect, it isn't aligned etc.
Barcodes can self correct if damaged, but that doesn't work if the data is encrypted.

This is usual government BS to create distraction by marketing a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
As outlined by @krycor this requires Public Key Infrastructure, which they failed to do with the smart cards.

 

[Hamster]

We do normally follow Europe so if it work like that there it will probably still come later.

Here in the Netherlands you are obliged to register and get a BSN/ID if you stay for longer than four months. Without it you cannot open a bank account, medical aid or anything really.

South Africa does follow Europe indeed... take NHI for example