PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 10/04/05 -- Homeland Security Presidential
Directive 12 (HSPD-12) is driving a momentous change in how the U.S.
federal government manages physical access control and information
security. The new Smart Card Alliance white paper, FIPS 201 and Physical
Access Control: An Overview of the Impact of FIPS 201 on Federal Physical
Access Control Systems, provides a roadmap to the key specifications that
federal agencies need to consider in implementing FIPS 201 compliant
physical access control systems (PACS). The paper also provides an
overview of essential but unresolved questions, for which standards
definition and implementation guidance are still being developed.
In both government and enterprises today, the convergence of logical and
physical access control systems is recognized as necessary to provide
improved security and uniform security policy enforcement. For the U.S.
federal government, HSPD-12 made this convergence mandatory. It requires a
common identification credential for all federal government employees and
contractors that will be used for both physical access to federally
controlled facilities and logical access to information systems.
To meet this requirement, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) published a standard for secure and reliable forms of
identification -- FIPS 201 -- in February 2005. The FIPS 201 Personal
Identity Verification (PIV) card standard requires contact and contactless
smart card technologies and biometrics and provides specific standards for
the issuance and use of the PIV card.
While FIPS 201 and its associated special publications define many aspects
for an interoperable federal identity card, the standard also provides a
variety of options for implementation and permits individual agencies to
define their own approaches to meeting agency-specific access requirements.
The new Smart Card Alliance white paper provides guidance to agencies on
how the new PIV card should be used in physical and logical security, how
the standards compare to previous specifications, and what aspects of the
specifications are still open that might affect an agency's implementation.
"FIPS 201 is driving a paradigm shift for government-issued ID badges that
will impact the private sector as well," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive
director of the Alliance. "A detailed roadmap has been defined that
addresses policy and technology in a comprehensive set of standards. The
end result is a secure, trusted credential that addresses physical and
logical security as a system. To achieve this result, it is critically
important for industry and customers to work together to develop and
implement the standards-based solutions that will facilitate the
transition."
This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access
Council. Individuals from 36 organizations in this Alliance Council were
involved in the development of this white paper. Lead contributors
included representatives from: AMAG Technology, Anteon, Booz Allen
Hamilton, Competech Smart Card Solutions, CoreStreet, EDS, Fargo
Electronics, GTSI Corp., HID Corporation, HIRSCH Electronics Corporation,
IBM, Identification Technology Partners, Inc. (IDTP), InfoGard
Laboratories, Integrated Engineering, International Biometric Industry
Association (IBIA), LEGIC Identsystems, Lenel Systems International, Inc.,
Lockheed Martin, MAXIMUS, MDI Federal Systems Division, Northrop Grumman
Corporation, Precise Biometrics, SAFLINK Corporation, SAIC, SCM
Microsystems, Shane-Gelling Company, Tyco Fire & Security, U.S. Department
of Homeland Security, XTec, Inc.
The Physical Access Council focuses on activities that are important to the
physical access industry and that address key issues that organizations
have in deploying new physical access system technology. Physical Access
Council participation is open to any Smart Card Alliance member who wishes
to contribute to the Council projects.
The white paper, written for executives and managers, is available at no
charge from the Smart Card Alliance web site at www.smartcardalliance.org.
About the Smart Card Alliance
The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association
working to accelerate the acceptance of smart card technology.
Through specific projects such as education programs, market research,
advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its
members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance
is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion
on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For
more information please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.
Contact:
Debra Montner
203-226-9290
Email Contact
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