Smart Security Technology of the Future

Urging security initiatives forward is high on the agenda for both government and enterprise due to the current geopolitical climate. Curiosity over the numerous security and authentication capabilities afforded by smart cards has accelerated across the globe. Business forecaster Datamonitor predicts that global smart card shipments for standalone security will reach more than thirty six million by the end of this year alone. Their report forecasts, the biggest market for smart card-based security solutions will be North America, which will make up forty seven percent of global deliveries by the end of this year.

The vigorous surveillance capabilities of a smart card make it an ideal method for electronic verification. For example, the Smart cards can be used to provide physical access to buildings and secured spaces as well as logical access to applications and networks.

Smart cards are provided with the means to firmly validate individuals through the ability to store digital certificates and private keys, and information such as biometrics and user data.

Just last year the industry observed the first deployments and pilots of e-passport schemes based upon the International Civil Aviation Authorities conditions. The primary goal of the new standards is to minimize card counterfeiting and provide officials with detailed data on a rapidly changing and migrating population; this was due to the fact that it was built specifically to improve both homeland security and global border management.

On a nationwide level, the DOD's general access card is a sign of the extent to which the security abilities of smart cards are being appreciated. About seven years ago, DOD started to operate on a program to issue a smart, common access verification card to 4.5 million active duty, selected reserve, DOD civilian and eligible contractor workers.

The main goal of the initiative was to establish one vehicle that allows physical access for multiple government agencies to buildings and managed spaces, as well as logical access to the DOD's computer systems and interfaces. A deployment of smart card-based systems was chosen on the basis that it would allow strong detection, digital signature, storage of demographic information and service particular interfaces. Security was a fundamental concern especially after recognizing the privileged rights provided by the cards.

In order to provide assertion and to reduce fraud associated with the current armed forces ID card the CAC was developed. The technology of smart cards enhances the security of logical and physical access, and enables e-commerce to become a reality. The consequent decrease in paperwork and reduced transaction and business procedure time leads to an increase in efficiency and minimize the overall expenses.

Establishing the Smart Card Atmosphere
There is a need for logical and physical access to work together in order to implement a solution that can do both operations, especially since both of these access systems are often handled by different departments. GlobalPlatform technology is used by the CAC card in order to simplify the procedure of multiple government agencies when dealing with installing a smart card that is interoperable. The final purpose is to have the ability to utilize a CAC anywhere that the cards are dealt with, apart from which government agency distributed it.

From the time when it was first founded about seven years ago, GlobalPlatform has produced a set of technical details that provide the foundation on which to build a smart card management environment capable of hosting both multiple and single applications and deployments, and yet can be adapted to the patron's needs. This new technology ensures that the continual modification and rewriting of applications is evaded.

GlobalPlatform offers a flexible and future-proof smart card setup when put in place properly. It sets up a global stage able to support new or tailored applications, new cards and dealings with commercial or government units. Confirmation of the system of smart card only needs to take place once, and updates can be made all the way through the program's life cycle cost effectively and competently.

Due to the fact that GlobalPlatform standards are global, by carrying out these standards within a smart card setup one will be able to:

• Decrease testing and development time and, therefore, costs, as GlobalPlatform standards have undergone meticulous security examination.
• Establish a smart card atmosphere capable of housing both multiple and single interfaces.
• Set up contest between solution suppliers; to give the customers the chance to compare between the products.
• Effortlessly swap from one technology supplier to another, as the standards are free and can be carried out by any technology retailers.
• Deploy a future-proof and measureable card and systems infrastructure that can sustain the entire development of the smart card application.

An investment for the Future

Distributing a smart card-based system in order to ensure the long-term viability of the solution is a key concern for any government. Without a doubt, the introduction of a lone card with the ability to house multiple applications represents a huge benefit for any division. The standard smart card infrastructure needs to be in place at the beginning of the implementation In order to meet implementations, and other future requirements. This will enable it to support the program's multi-application, second-generation, surroundings.

In times gone by, the pace of smart card adoption has been hindered by an unwillingness to issue high-memory cards, as these can be thought of as extremely pricey. On the other hand, the cost of cards with micro processors has been drastically reduced in recent decades. In addition, by making sure that the smart card set up is based on GlobalPlatform standard technology, low-capacity memory cards with the same standard of security can be distributed in the first instance, with the choice to transfer to multi-application and higher storage memory at a later time. Through endorsing GlobalPlatform specifications and standards from the very start, the smart card system is future-proofed, and the need for expensive redevelopment and re-issuance is detached.

This is mainly imperative if a smart card program is installed widely across a country or region. Any alteration to the set up, such as the addition of a new application or modification, can require an extensive promotion of the implementation's system architecture and necessitate the redeployment of cards in an assortment of facilities and sites.

Adding on, the reality of the matter makes it clear that it is not just the advancement of new, effective technologies that can force the requirement for a smart card program administrator to make alterations to the execution, but regulatory requirements also have a momentous impact as well. Each and every one of these industries are subject to regulation and updates from governing entities that often result in a review of the way services are carried out, which, in turn, requires changes to the smart card program system. For that reason, the solution envisioned during the start-up stage may not reproduce the demands of the future. As expected, this can result in widespread, and pricey, recreating, retesting and reconstructing.

The administration of this multi-application smart card environment becomes the real challenge once the system infrastructure is established. From the view point of a provider, the GlobalPlatform specifications have the ability of simultaneously managing and isolating all of the different applications on a smart card. The suppliers don't need to invest a second time in a separate administration interface for each of the different systems. Pertaining to the case of the CAC, utilizing the GlobalPlatform technology has allowed the DOD to effectively administer a smart card surrounding that allows for the active deleting and loading of applications, as well as software post-issuance and multi-application abilities.

A Future of Interoperability

Many organizations are investigating ways to drive usage of their implementations and seek new routes to market their product or service, especially after they noticed the increasing acceptance of smart card programs all around the globe. For that reason, it has become tremendously advantageous to construct a combined infrastructure for an interoperable smart card program, allowing additional services, such as ID and payment or healthcare and mobile, to be provided on a solitary card.

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