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Smart Card Alliance improves security awareness

May 29, 2007

PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J. - The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council says it has increased awareness about identity issues and security technologies since its formation a year ago.

In 2006, 74 individuals from 44 Smart Card Alliance organizations participated in the Identity Council. The council created a number of educational resources promoting the need for better use of technologies and policies regarding human identity information. (Review some of the resources.)

The council also created the Identity, Smart Card Technology and Application Glossary, a comprehensive A to Z guide to identity.

The Identity Council also provided education about the use of smart-card technology for government initiatives such as passport cards, driver's licenses and identification cards with the position paper, "The REAL ID Act: Why Real ID Cards Should Be Based on Smart Card Technology."

Another imperative for the Identity Council is to educate stakeholders about the use of radio frequency technologies for identity applications. Council-created resources on the topic include, "RF-Enabled Applications and Technology: Comparing and Contrasting RFID and RF-Enabled Smart Cards," "Best Practices for the Use of RF-Enabled Technology in Identity Management Applications," and "EPC Gen 2 RFID Tags vs. Contactless Smart Cards: Frequently Asked Questions."

"In this information age, many organizations use technology to increase efficiency and lower costs; however, the privacy and security of identity information must always be the top priority, especially in government applications that affect citizens," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. "The Identity Council materials provide educational resources on how all of these benefits can be achieved with the proper choice of technology."

In the coming year, the Identity Council's priorities will include: maintaining public policy and an education focus on federal and state use of identity technology; providing focus for discussions about RFID versus RF-enabled smart-card technology; exploring and demonstrating the linkage of smart cards and biometrics in identity applications; and expanding the council's focus to include enterprise identity applications.