Jun 9 2009
Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (OTCBB: APDN), sells patented DNA security solutions to protect products, brands and intellectual property from counterfeiting and diversion, announced today that in collaboration with a world leader in security laminated materials, it has validated its proprietary SigNature® DNA into laminates typically used in travel documents, credit cards, drivers licenses and other government issued identification cards.
Protecting secure documents against alteration and counterfeiting has become a priority of governments around the world. The REAL ID Act is U.S. Federal law that imposes certain security, authentication, and issuance procedure standards for the state driver's licenses and state ID cards, for them to be accepted by the Federal government for "official purposes."
According to the Real ID Act, DNA is accepted as one of the biometric identifiers along with fingerprints and retinal scans. For example, SigNature DNA can be incorporated as part of a security ink that is embedded into the laminate of a driver's license.
Incorporating SigNature DNA into the existing inks and printing processes safeguards the driver's license at a forensic level and ensures that the license can not be copied or re-engineered. DNA protection also offers each State their own unique DNA identifier that can be authenticated even 10 years from the date the license was issued. The strength of DNA authentication has already been demonstrated by law enforcement in the United States and is accepted internationally as forensic evidence should a criminal or civil case be prosecuted.
Raising the security systems standards of state-issued identification is an important step toward enhancing national security. Because a driver's license serves so many purposes (access to federal buildings, nuclear power plants, boarding aircraft, etc.), terrorists actively seek fraudulent state-issued identification. The REAL ID rules will make it more difficult for them, while making it easier for law enforcement to detect falsified documents. The Department of Homeland Security has provided States with an extension to comply by December 31, 2009. In addition, States that meet certain benchmarks for the security of their credentials and licensing processes will automatically be granted a second extension until May 11, 2011 to complete full implementation of REAL ID.
In addition to driver's licenses, DNA in laminated materials can be used to protect credit cards, passports and immigration visas. APDN continues to work with Printcolor Screen AG, a Swiss-based security ink company, to offer its SigNature DNA markers in high security, high value items that require a botanical forensic marker. As recently reported, SigNature DNA offers a scalable and affordable solution that can be incorporated into intaglio inks, cyanoacrylates, thermal transfer ribbons, adhesives and inkjet inks.