KUWAIT CITY, Oct 12: Brigadier Nayef Al-Mutairi, Director of the Personal Identity Investigation and Automated Search Department at the General Department of Criminal Evidence, has assured citizens regarding concerns about the security of biometric fingerprint data, reports Al-Seyassah daily. He emphasized that these worries stem from a lack of understanding, stating, “People often fear what they don’t know, especially concerning the new technology.”

In an interview on Kuwait TV, Al-Mutairi explained that biometric data is securely stored on local servers managed by the General Administration of Information Systems. He highlighted that even in the unlikely event of a data breach, the information would be inaccessible, as it would appear as unreadable symbols rather than usable data. Al-Mutairi further emphasized that biometric data cannot be forged and is crucial for identity verification.

He also mentioned plans to link the biometric database with various government agencies in the future, potentially expanding its use to facilitate certain procedures in both public and private sectors. However, he said, the government agencies will only have limited access to query specific information through fingerprint scans, without the ability to view full personal data. In other news, the Ministry of Interior clarified recent reports about transitioning to digital driving permits, explaining that the change applies to driving permits for specific categories, not driving licenses, as some have misunderstood. These categories include taxi drivers, on-demand fares, driving instructors, and public bus operators, who will now use electronic permits via the Ministry’s digital wallet.