TSA to test CAT-BPSS document verification technologies

Marín International

Airports in Washington, DC, Houston and Puerto Rico are the sites for new document verification technology tests aimed at detecting fake boarding passes and passenger identity documents.

The Transportation Security Administration announced the test sites on April 13.  The trials at Washington Dulles International Airport, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport will examine new technologies designed to enhance the agency’s ability to identify altered or fraudulent passenger identification documents and boarding passes

Last October, the agency awarded limited contracts to BAE Systems Information Solutions, Inc., Trans-Digital Technologies, LLC and NCR Government Systems, LLC to provide the pilot testing of fraudulent document detection technology to a limited number of airports. Each of the three airports will receive a total of six detection units, two units from each vendor, said TSA, adding that it will expand the deployment schedule after successful implementation and testing in the selected airport environments.

“The piloting of this technology is another milestone in TSA’s ongoing risk-based security initiative,” said TSA Administrator John Pistole in an April 13 statement . “The ability to efficiently and effectively identify fraudulent identity documents and authenticate boarding passes has the potential to not only improve security but also the checkpoint experience for passengers.”

The newtechnology, known as Credential Authentication Technology – Boarding Pass Scanning Systems (CAT-BPSS), scans a passenger’s boarding pass and photo ID, and automatically verifies the names provided on both documents match and authenticate the boarding pass, said TSA. The technology also identifies altered or fraudulent photo IDs by analyzing and comparing security features embedded in the IDs. This system supports TSA’s efforts to enhance the passenger screening by moving toward a more risk-based, intelligence-driven counterterrorism approach.