computer security expert thinks REAL ID is a very bad idea

[flyingfysh]

Noted computer security expert Bruce Schneier had a section on "REAL ID" in his most recent email newsletter.

Here is what he has to say:

The United States will get a national ID card. The REAL ID Act establishes uniform standards for state driver's licenses, to go into effect in three years, effectively creating a national ID card. It's a bad idea, and is going to make us all less safe. It's also very expensive. And it all happened without any serious debate in Congress.

I've already written about national IDs. I've written about the fallacies of identification as a security tool. I'm not going to repeat myself here, and I urge everyone who is interested to read those essays (links at the end). Remember, the question to ask is not whether a national ID will do any good; the question to ask is whether the good it does is worth the cost. By that measure, a national ID is a lousy security trade-off. And everyone needs to understand why.

Aside from the generalities in my previous essays, there are specifics about REAL ID that make for bad security.
...

(the rest of the essay is at http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-0505.html#2)

[bananas]

1. Important paragraph

Important paragraph from there:

(Those who point to European countries with national IDs need to pay attention to this point. European countries have a strong legal framework for data privacy and protection. This is why the American experience will be very different than the European experience, and a much more serious danger to society.)