Government FIPS 201 Standard Increases Smart Card Use
Until now there has not been wide-spread use of smart cards, but the US Government’s adoption of FIPS 201 standards creates benchmarks for others corporations and entities interested in adopting this ID card format. Magicard’s Andy Matko recently wrote “with so many different technologies around, the sheer choice of which smart card technology to use and what biometric methods to choose has held back implementation.”
Matko further explains that with the conception of the FIPS 201 standard, companies and organizations can now invest in products that comply with rigorous government security criteria and ensure access is granted to only those who are authorized.
The FIPS 201 standard accredits specific Personal Identity Verification (PIV) products (including photo ID card printers) that are compliant with the security requirements laid out by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD 12) for the issuance of secure photo ID credentials.
For photo ID card printers to meet those requirements, as Matko notes, they must be able to:
- simultaneously encode data onto the smart card chip at time of issuance
- laminate
- apply watermarks and holographic patterns
- control who can access the photo ID card printer itself
As more companies and organizations adhere to the FIPS 201 standard, smart card technology is likely to see significant growth in the coming year. To see which photo ID card printers and ID badge supplies are FIPS 201 compliant, visit the ID Wholesaler FIPS 201 compliant page.
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