The Malawian government has formalised a 5-year contract valued at roughly $30 million with Madras Security Printers (MSP) Private Limited, an Indian firm specialising in security printing and eGovernment solutions. This agreement aims to enhance the nation's passport issuance system by addressing previous inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities.

Data both allows and creates questions. Answering questions generates information. Information allows decisions and actions. Without accurate, relevant, reliable, consistent, standardised and timely data, creating and delivering anything is hard, particularly change.

If you only read media reports, it would be easy to assume that the most significant advances in identity document security stem from digital innovation, with biometric verification, blockchain-based identity management, and digital certificates dominating discussions.

The 2025 edition of the High Security Printing™ (HSP) EMEA conference was located, for the first time in its history, in Switzerland, in the picturesque city of Basel. The experience for the 265 delegates, almost 40% of whom came from central banks, government ministries and issuing authorities, did not disappoint, as was evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the survey at the conclusion of this three-day event (3-5 February).

The Regional Banknote and ID Document of the Year Awards form part of the industry’s High Security Printing™ (HSP) EMEA conference. This year’s event was held in Basel, Switzerland, with the awards presented at a special ceremony during the conference dinner on 4 February 2025.

With the announcement this month from Microsoft that it has successfully fabricated its first quantum processor based on a novel material known as a ‘topological conductor’, the ID and secure document market faces a critical challenge: ensuring the security of cryptographic systems against potential quantum threats.

The PQC4eMRTD (Post-Quantum Cryptography for electronic Machine-Readable Travel Documents) project is a European initiative launched on 28 February, aimed at enhancing the security of electronic machine-readable travel documents (eMRTDs), such as electronic passports, against emerging threats posed by advances in quantum computing.

Facial recognition, as a technology, is becoming more common, finding applications for law enforcement, border management and commercial enterprise. However, this has raised concerns about how it is being used and whether clear rules exist to govern it.

Spectra Systems, a US provider of secure transaction technologies, has announced that its security printing division, Cartor Security Printers, has secured a five-year contract to produce postage stamps for an undisclosed postal supplier within the European Union.

The global security print landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, and, in its wake, there are two extremes of skills shortage.

IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) has pioneered the use of patented thermo-reactive Liquid Crystal Ink in payment cards, adapting a technology previously used in the fashion industry. This advanced material science innovation enables the ink to transition from black to a dynamic multicolour display when exposed to temperature changes.

Facial recognition, as a technology, is becoming more common, finding applications for law enforcement, border management and commercial enterprise. However, this has raised concerns about how it is being used and whether clear rules exist to govern it. To address this, the Biometrics Institute, an organisation that studies the responsible use of biometrics, recently published a report called ‘Members’ Viewpoints: The Use of Facial Recognition in Policing.’

Spectra Systems Corporation, a Rhode Island-based provider of secure transaction technologies, has announced that its security printing division, Cartor Security Printers, has secured a 5-year contract to produce postage stamps for an undisclosed postal supplier within the European Union. The agreement is expected to generate revenue of between $3 million and $4 million over its duration.

The Optical & Digital Document Security™ conference (15-17 September 2025 in Warsaw, Poland) is regarded as THE technical conference for physical, digital and virtual document security.

The secure document and identity sector is going through a period of significant change, driven by mergers and acquisitions that I covered throughout 2024. As we start a new year, I want to take a step back and consider not just the headlines but the historical events and strategic thinking behind them.

A new and alarming threat to identity verification systems has emerged, as researchers at iProov1 have uncovered an operation known as ‘identity farming’.

Regula, a developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions, has unveiled the ForensicScope Regula 4125, a portable ID document scanner designed to detect face morphing, a sophisticated method of identity fraud that poses significant challenges to biometric systems.

For years, proof of identity relied solely on physical documents like passports or driving licences. However, the rise of new technologies has ushered in a wave of digital alternatives that offer greater convenience and security. Veridos, a leading provider of identity solutions, has identified four key technologies driving the evolution of digital identities.

The US ‘Bridge’ visa sticker replaced the ‘Lincoln’ visa design in July 2023, with both versions remaining valid until their printed expiration. An updated design of the Bridge visa has now been issued.

The Batam Centre seaport in Indonesia is one of southeast Asia’s busiest and most complex border crossing points. Situated at the intersection of Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, Batam Centre serves as a vital conduit for international travelers and trade. With approximately 4.2 million passengers moving through Batam’s domestic and international ferry terminals in the first half of 2024, the location is a linchpin to regional connectivity.