Smart Cards

Smart cards are the most logical choice for an authentication device because they replace the need to issue and manage multiple security mechanisms, including the following:

Photo ID badges for physical identification Proximity cards for building access One-time password tokens for remote access Passwords for workstation access and application access

In addition, smart cards enable secure storage for credentials such as passwords, public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates and keys, one-time passwords, and biometrics. They support a wide variety of usage scenarios, from enabling strong authentication for remote, workstation, network, or application access, to securing the electronic exchange of information and transactions (e.g., data encryption, boot protection, and signed transactions).

ActivIdentity Smart Cards support multiple applications and are available for a wide variety of end user requirements. The cards can be used as part of a phased deployment (e.g., starting with two-factor authentication for workstations, and then adding new features later to realize greater return on investment over time).

ActivIdentity Smart Cards include the following benefits:

• Are tamper resistant to enhance security when storing sensitive data and credentials (meet Federal Information Processing Standards [FIPS] 140-2 security requirements)
• Provide an easy, ATM-like user experience
• Enable a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than alternative security devices by combining logical and physical access control credentials on a single card and allowing post-issuance updates with ActivIdentity Credential Management and Security Client software

ActivIdentity Smart Cards are available in multiple interfaces (contact and contactless), different memory sizes, a variety of card profiles and ActivIdentity applets, enabling personal identity verification (PIV) compliance or one-time password generation on the smart card.