Main Office (714) 922-1134

1740 W Katella Ave, Suite E Orange, CA 92867

7 - 4 PSTMonday - Friday

Achieve Federal Identification Credentialing Goals


Trusted credential technologies are highly depended on by identity verification and management. It simply cannot be done without them. If you’re working with a security team of any sort, then you probably get acquainted with the two factors to enable security, compliance, and efficiency.tsa-armstrong-airport-2005jpg-7ce8601391940cc4

All over the United States, through all branches of government and private businesses, people are trying to improve on their security methods and procedures constantly. This isn’t limited to online security; it also extends towards physical (or traditional) ways of security. On top of that, people (other than the ones working with the government) strive for cost-effective and compliant methods to create identity cards that work with the PIC and PIV-Interoperable systems.  Now, I will talk about the benefits of FIPS 201-compliant smart ID cards and I will show you how to create them with features such as tamper-resistant coatings and radio frequency identification (RFID).

After researching smart cards and PIVs, I came to the conclusion that the majority of identification and badging systems are reliant on barcodes, simple photographs, or magnetic strips. Some other companies and organizations use the newer contactless identification badges that implement a UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) system. These ways of identity verifications are unfortunately outdated. They can’t verify that the rightful owner of the card/badge I there.  These tradition cards and badges can be tampered with, can be counterfeited easily, and provide minimal protection for the data stored within the card. The smart cards, on the other hand, have an embedded chip within which provides an internal tamper resistance with memory in order to secure data, complete simple functions, and interact with smart card readings using magnetic stripes, barcodes, and/or contactless RFID technology.

The two main security groupings are online and offline. Offline refers to facilities, and online refers to cyberspace. Just about every field that requires security such as law enforcement and emergency response can benefit from FIPS 201. Interoperability throughout many jurisdictions would be an outcome of the secure access to facilities and cyber resources. Adapting to the FIPS 201 would allow agencies to issue out one card per person instead of multiple cards. The result of this is a more consistent way to validating the identities of people through a single powerful identification card. This reduces redundant security verification efforts and expenses which, furthermore, increase the security policy’s effectiveness. Although this is an offline example, I can also state an online example. FIPS can provide a trusted way for internet users to purchase services and products online. Not too long ago, the General Services Administration incorporated a program (co-op) to help local and state governments purchase these. Government employees can now purchase items through their online GSA platform through the use of their PIC-enabled smart cards securely and cheaply.

To sum it up, these PIV-enabled smart cards allow for a secure transfer of information and a solid identification verification method. Outdated identification methods are failing because of their flaws such as being easy to tamper with and easy to steal. Having these PIC-enabled smart cards is cheaper, securer, and more economical.