Frontex,
the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, is inviting industry
representatives and the research community to showcase innovative technologies dealing
with the use of advanced biometrics and/or
with the tackling of its associated vulnerabilities. The theme of this year’s conference
will deal largely, but not exclusively, with the topic of morphing and its
possible implications for border security. Detailed information on the aim and
scope of the conference is found here.
The exploration of existing and future biometric
technologies is crucial to border security and the facilitation of legitimate
travellers. At the same time, the integration of biometric technologies into the
border control infrastructure introduces a whole new set of challenges to
border security: biometric systems can be subverted for the purpose of passing
through border control under a faked identity. This means that with the
introduction of novel technologies supporting biometric recognition,
countermeasures that can prevent, detect or defeat such abuses are also needed.
In order to underline the importance of both technological innovations and
possible abuse of technologies dealing with biometrics, an exhibition is
planned as a side event on both days of the conference to connect end-users with
technologies and to provide an informal networking environment for all
stakeholders present.
The exhibition will go beyond
the thematic focus of the conference and provide border management authorities
and other participants an insight into the latest developments in the field of
biometrics, but also how potential vulnerabilities can be better managed, and
the way in which these technologies are impacting border control now and in the
future. To accommodate this, the exhibition intends to provide a space to:
- Industry showcasing new and existing technologies dealing
with the use of advanced biometrics in the context of border control, and;
-
Research community detailing relevant research projects focusing
on the subversion/exploitation of biometrics and the development of associated
tools and/or methods capable of detecting and/or defeating such attacks (or
preventing them altogether).
The technology or project
showcased does not need to have an actual application in current border
controls, as long as speakers and exhibitors are able to showcase a technology
or research project of potential relevance to the current or future border
control domain. Topics may vary from solutions under development targeting
morphing, to topics from the field of artificial intelligence/machine learning,
for example deep-fake technologies (e.g. demonstrating biometrics vulnerabilities
through reverse-engineering, methods of identifying editing/tampering, etc.),
to name only a few.
The
target audience of the conference consists of national authorities from the
European Union (EU) Member States and non-EU countries, EU policy-makers and
agencies, researchers and industry with a demonstrated interest in the topic presented.
The first day of the conference will target relevant EU and non-EU national
authorities, EU policy-makers and EU agencies. Interested
parties are reminded that the issue will be largely approached from the
perspective of (the chain of) document issuance/control and security in
general, and document authentication and identity verification at the border in
particular.
Important deadlines
Should
you wish to exhibit during the conference, then please respond to this
invitation by sending your offer to biometrics@frontex.europa.eu by 30 August 2019 (23:59 CET). You are kindly invited to include a
description of the products/innovations you would like to showcase, as well as
an estimation of the space required.
The
received offers will be evaluated and selected based on their relevance to the
theme of conference and in a way that ensures that different thematic areas are
adequately represented. The outcome of the evaluation of the submitted offers
will be announced no later than 9 September 2019.
Details
on the venue as well as other logistical information will be sent only to
participants who have successfully registered. No fees will be charged for
registration and exhibiting space. Exhibitors will be asked to cover the costs
of travel, their own accommodation and additional costs incurred in exhibit
activities.
