I'm pleased to announce the release of ADSS Server v8.4.1, the latest regular release update to our flagship PKI and Trust Services platform. This release brings new capability that bolsters our ePassport offering and strengthens Ascertia's position in the government, border control, and digital identity markets.
ADSS Server is a full‑featured, modular trust services platform trusted globally by enterprises, government agencies, and trust service providers to deliver certificate authority, digital signing, timestamping, validation, and lifecycle services from one unified platform.
What's New in v8.4.1
ADSS Server v8.4.1 introduces important enhancements to our ePassport capability, with a particular focus on the ePassport Inspection Server and ePassport CVCA/DVCA services.
Together, these capabilities help government authorities and system integrators deploy secure, standards‑based infrastructure for inspecting electronic passports, validating travel documents, and enabling authorised access to protected biometric data at the border.
Introducing the ePassport Inspection Server
The ePassport Inspection Server is a new component designed to simplify the integration required between border management systems and the ePassport PKI.
In modern border environments, inspection systems must interact securely with complex national and international PKI infrastructures. They need to authenticate themselves to electronic travel documents, access protected data where authorised, and continuously maintain trusted certificate and revocation information from multiple sources.
The ePassport Inspection Server helps simplify this process by providing APIs that allow border management and inspection systems to connect to the ePassport PKI without needing to implement all of the underlying cryptographic and trust management complexity themselves.
It enables inspection systems to sign challenges from EAC‑enabled travel documents, helping prove that the inspection system is authorised to interact with the passport chip. It can also provide the trust chains required for the inspection system to present its identity, supporting controlled access to secondary biometrics where permitted.
In addition, the Inspection Server provides APIs that enable inspection systems to automatically download and refresh CSCA certificates and CRLs from trusted sources including the DVCA, National Public Key Directory, and ICAO PKI. This helps ensure border management systems have the up‑to‑date trust material they need to verify signatures on electronic travel documents.
The new Inspection Server leverages existing ADSS Server capabilities, including licensing, database services, key management frameworks, automated certificate provisioning, certificate renewal, and comprehensive logging. This provides government customers and delivery partners with a secure, deployable inspection component that fits naturally into existing ADSS Server‑based ePassport architectures.
Strengthening ePassport CVCA and DVCA Capability
ADSS Server v8.4.1 also enhances our ePassport CVCA and DVCA capability.
Country Verifying Certification Authorities and Document Verifying Certification Authorities play a critical role in Extended Access Control environments. They help determine which inspection systems are authorised to access sensitive data stored on an ePassport chip, such as secondary biometrics.
This is a vital part of the trust chain for modern electronic passports. While document signing and validation help prove that a passport is genuine and has not been tampered with, CVCA and DVCA services help control access to the most sensitive information within the passport ecosystem.
By strengthening these capabilities, ADSS Server v8.4.1 further supports government customers that need secure, standards‑aligned infrastructure for both domestic and cross‑border ePassport inspection.
Why This Matters for Border Control and Immigration
Border control agencies face the challenge of enabling smooth, efficient travel while protecting citizens, national security, and sensitive personal data.
The ePassport Inspection Server helps address this challenge by bridging the gap between border management systems and the ePassport PKI. It allows inspection systems to authenticate themselves, validate travel document signatures, maintain trusted certificate and revocation information, and support secure access to protected biometric data.
For immigration authorities, this means stronger assurance when verifying traveller identity. For border operations, it supports faster and more consistent inspection workflows. For governments, it helps ensure that access to sensitive passport chip data is controlled, auditable, standards‑aligned, and supported by trusted PKI infrastructure.
A Stronger ePassport Offering from Ascertia
This release reinforces ADSS Server as a trusted platform for national ePassport and border management projects.
With the addition of the ePassport Inspection Server and continued enhancement of CVCA/DVCA services, ADSS Server v8.4.1 gives Ascertia an even stronger proposition for government customers looking to issue, protect, validate, and inspect ePassports using a secure and scalable trust services platform.
These enhancements support our wider mission: helping governments and organisations establish digital trust in the systems, documents, identities, and transactions that matter most.
