ID Smart Cards for Personal Identification

Secure Identification Credentials

In both government and the private sector, there is an increased need for greater physical security, authentication of individuals accessing online networks and electronically signing and encrypting documents. In government agencies, there is also a real sense of urgency to strengthen the security credentials and establish mutual acceptance criteria of identity credentials issued by different agencies.

Leading government agencies and companies are converging on the smart card as the best solution to these requirements, in many cases using new government smart card interoperability standards (GSC-IS) for issuing a new employee badge or ID and combining physical access, online access and in some cases biometrics on the same smart card-based credential.

It is technically safer to store PIN and key information on smart card hardware tokens rather than on a computer hard drive in some server room. It eliminates the inefficient use and inherently weak security of passwords.

It is essential to computer security to store any keys or certificates outside of the PC or workstation, and to require the presentation of a physical card as well as a password. Otherwise, it is too easy for someone else to pretend to be you. For this reason, smart cards are becoming the de facto solution of choice, with security conscious government agencies and the computer industry as the vanguard.

Different types of access control technologies could lead to a common and universally-recognized biometric credential for transportation workers requiring unescorted access to secure locations within a transportation facility across different modes of transportation. You want the right person servicing your plane for you, but you also want to issue an easily used and recognized credential that helps improve the security of our nation's transportation infrastructure while facilitating the flow of commerce and protecting individual privacy.

Several companies offer online transmission of photos and other biometric data for placement on security cards, thereby removing the need for in-house facilities.

Anonymous data is data that cannot be associated with a particular person. There is a vast range of transactions for which identification is not a logical prerequisite. These include cash payments of all kinds, barter transactions, telephone and counter enquiries, and inspection of publications on library premises.

ScreenCheck Nightclub Access Smart Cards BM-Entry pass system in Holland

02/05 - Over the past few years, foreign visiting youth have found the Dutch nightlife to be less than a pleasurable experience. They are often prevented from admission to nightclubs, for no reason, and as a result wander the streets frustrated late at night.

At the door, bouncers don’t make a difference between troublemakers and youngsters looking for a good night out.

To tackle this problem the PvdA wants to introduce a compulsory pass system. Information will be saved in the system database. The pass, which would be read at the door, allows the system to provide personal information and individual behavior on a monitor. With this information the bouncer will be able to properly reject or admit visitors. This system, developed by ScreenCheck in Zoetermeer, has been in operation for the past three months at the “Y-land” Nightclub in Spijkenisse.

“During the past three months, the number of incidents in my club has decreased by 75%. According to Mr. S. Davarci of “Y-Land”, 2000 guests have already registered and received a personal pass. “Everybody receives a pass and a chance to have a good night out at my club. If somebody misbehaves they will appear on the “blacklist”. Instead of taking back the pass we block the pass. This way we can decide to unblock the pass at any time if necessary”.

“The pass system takes people out of anonymity, making it easier to trace problem youth and recurring incidents”, stated Mr. R. Berk, director of ScreenCheck BV. “ScreenCheck offers bouncers an easy solution for identifying visitors. Another advantage is that during an emergency the fire brigade or police can quickly identify the number of visitors at the club”.

Biometrics of Illegal Immigrants Taken by Coast Guard

11/06 - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began a pilot program that will collect biometric information from illegal migrants interdicted while attempting entry into U.S. territory through the body of water between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico known as the Mona Passage.

The U.S. Coast Guard will compare the digital fingerprints and photographs of illegal migrants against the US-VISIT database, which includes information about wanted criminals, immigration violators and those who previously encountered government authorities. Those attempting to illegally enter the United States and its territories are prosecuted under U.S. law in conjunction with bilateral agreements in effect.

"Biometrics make it virtually impossible to use forged documents or claim a fraudulent identity," said Robert Mocny, acting director of the US-VISIT program. "The Coast Guard's comparison of biometrics collected at sea to those collected through the US-VISIT program will greatly enhance our ability to intercept those who pose a threat to national security."

The partnership between the Coast Guard and US-VISIT represents the department's commitment to deter, apprehend and prosecute illegal migrants and migrant smugglers. The project furthers the broader objective to develop a biometric mobile solution for DHS and is another step in the U.S. government's plan to enhance security and ensure the integrity of the immigration and border management system.

The US-VISIT program is a continuum of biometrically-enabled security measures that collect biometric and biographic information from travelers at U.S. visa-issuing posts around the world, and upon their arrival in the United States at air, sea and land border ports of entry.

Car Thieves Given the Finger

11/06 - If you want to hire a car at Stansted Airport in the UK, you now need to give a fingerprint. The scheme being tested by Essex police and car hire firms, is not voluntary. Every car rental customer must take part.

These are stored by the hire firms - and will be handed over to the police if the car is stolen or used for another crime.

Detective Sergeant Vic Murphy, from the CID team at Stansted Airport, says it's a response to criminal gangs targeting airport car hire firms - where cars are driven away using false passports, false licences and false credit cards.

ID card service bureau example

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Aware Personal Identity Verification Kits

Aware's biometrics software development kits provide a broad range of functionality required to develop PIV-compliant applications for registration and identity proofing, ID personalization, and access control. These functions include quality scoring, optimization, and compression of biometric facial and fingerprint images as well as biometric file reading, writing, validation, and networking; all in compliance with mandated standards to ensure interoperability and interchangeability of system components.

HSPD-12 mandates an aggressive timeline for the issuance of PIV-compliant ID cards to millions of federal employees and contractors. Aware's biometrics software components enable system developers to quickly build fully-functional, standard-compliant solutions.

The Aware tools are designed to assist federal contractors with standards-based design requirements for the data acquired by the enrollment systems, stored on the ID cards, and read by the verification systems.

Aware software tools that read and write biometric files are available a la carte and include developer's guides, sample program source code, and full technical support.

ImageWare Systems, Inc.

ImageWare Systems, Inc. deals in identity management solutions, providing biometric, secure credential, law enforcement and digital imaging technologies. Scalable for worldwide deployment, the Company's biometric product line includes a multi-biometric engine that is hardware and algorithm independent, enabling the enrollment and management of unlimited population sizes.

ImageWare's identification products are used to manage and issue secure credentials including national IDs, passports, driver licenses, smart cards and access control credentials. ImageWare's digital booking products provide law enforcement with integrated mug shot, fingerprint Livescan and investigative capabilities. ImageWare is headquartered in San Diego, with offices in Canada, Germany and Singapore.

Viisage

Viisage delivers advanced technology identity solutions for governments, law enforcement agencies and businesses concerned with enhancing security, reducing identity theft, and protecting personal privacy. Viisage solutions include secure credentials such as passports and drivers' licenses, biometric technologies for uniquely linking individuals to those credentials, and credential authentication technologies to ensure the documents are valid before individuals are allowed to cross borders, gain access to finances, or granted other privileges.

With over 3,000 installations worldwide, Viisage's identity solutions product suite includes FaceTOOLS(R) SDK, Viisage PROOF(TM), FaceEXPLORER(R), iA-thenticate(R), BorderGuard(R), FacePASS(TM) and FaceFINDER(R).