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"REAL ID SYSTEM CREATES NEW NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS - ...The Department of Homeland Security says in the final rule that it will be “significantly more difficult,” but not impossible, “for an individual to use a false name or provide fraudulent documents to obtain an identification.” This is the reason that any national identification system is fundamentally flawed: Individuals are told to “trust” the national ID card, but it is still possible to create a fake card, so one cannot rely on the national identification system to “prove” an individual is who she says. Contrary to the Department of Homeland Security’s claims, this system harms our national security by creating another “trusted” path for criminals to exploit...
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The REAL ID national identification system would harm rather thanprotect privacy and security, and such a system would exacerbate the country’s growing identity theft problem. It decreases security to have a centralized systemof identification, one ID card for many purposes, as there will be a substantialamount of harm when the card is compromised.
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A system of decentralized identification reduces the risks associated withsecurity breaches and the misuse of personal information. Technological innovation can enable the development of context-dependent identifiers. Adecentralized approach to identification is consistent with our commonsenseunderstanding of identification. ... These context-dependentusernames and passwords enable authentication without the risk of a universalidentification system. That way, if one number is compromised, all of thenumbers are not spoiled and identity thieves cannot access all of your accounts.All of your accounts can become compartmentalized, enhancing their security
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The final rule includes few protections for individual privacy and security in its massive national identification database. It harms national security by creating yet another “trusted” credential for criminals to exploit. The Department of Homeland Security has faced so many obstacles with the REAL ID system that the agency now plans an implementation deadline of 2017 – nine years later than the 2008 statutory deadline. It is an unfunded mandate that would cost billions, with the burden ultimately being placed on the individual taxpayer.
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Technical experts familiar with the challenges of privacy protection and identification presented the Department of Homeland Security with a variety of recommendations that would have minimized the risks of the REAL ID system. The DHS made some modifications, but left the essential system in place. As REAL ID currently stands, the costs are many and the benefits are few. Public opposition to implementation is understandable."
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