To verify that the data written on the electronic chip has not been tampered with, the Department proposes to employ digital signatures compliant with the ICAO Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. In order to ensure that the data contained in the electronic chip matches the data printed in the physical book, electronic chip technology requires that the data on the electronic chip be written only once and not changed.

and

Recent press stories about the use of this technology have noted that the information will not be “encrypted” and mention the concern about identity theft by unauthorized persons through either skimming (the surreptitious reading of the electronic information without the holder’s knowledge) or eavesdropping intercepting information from the electronic chip while it is being read at an official port of entry station). The United States does not intend to encrypt the data for the following reasons: the personal data stored on the passport’s electronic chip consists simply of the information traditionally and visibly displayed on the passport data page; encrypted data takes longer to read, increasing port of entry processing time; and in order to be globally interoperable, encryption would require a higher level of technology and more complicated technical coordination with other nations.

So, the data may be written to the chip with the State Department’s private key, but it’s readable using State’s public key, making it encrypted for the State Department’s security purposes (anti-forgery) but not for individuals’ security purposes (anti-skimming). That the way you see it, garym?

To verify that the data written on the electronic chip has not been tampered with, the Department proposes to employ digital signatures compliant with the ICAO Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. In order to ensure that the data contained in the electronic chip matches the data printed in the physical book, electronic chip technology requires that the data on the electronic chip be written only once and not changed.

and

Recent press stories about the use of this technology have noted that the information will not be “encrypted” and mention the concern about identity theft by unauthorized persons through either skimming (the surreptitious reading of the electronic information without the holder’s knowledge) or eavesdropping intercepting information from the electronic chip while it is being read at an official port of entry station). The United States does not intend to encrypt the data for the following reasons: the personal data stored on the passport’s electronic chip consists simply of the information traditionally and visibly displayed on the passport data page; encrypted data takes longer to read, increasing port of entry processing time; and in order to be globally interoperable, encryption would require a higher level of technology and more complicated technical coordination with other nations.

So, the data may be written to the chip with the State Department’s private key, but it’s readable using State’s public key, making it encrypted for the State Department’s security purposes (anti-forgery) but not for individuals’ security purposes (anti-skimming). That the way you see it, garym?