Princeton Junction, N.J., September 17, 2010–Ways to improve national cybersecurity and healthcare IT practices will be added to an expanded agenda at the 9th Annual Smart Cards in Government: Identity, Security & Healthcare Conference, the Smart Card Alliance said today. Government and industry leaders will provide the latest information and updates on these topics, as well as on the use of federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) and PIV-I (Interoperable) credentials, homeland security identification, access control, and identity programs such as FICAM *, NSTIC *, NHIN *, TWIC *, FRAC *, and biometric social security cards.

“As government identity and security initiatives expand, so does our conference. We are seeing a lot of interest from the industry to learn how the government can improve cybersecurity and the security of the nation’s healthcare infrastructure by using smart cards,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. “As a result, we are excited to add timely topics like trusted online identities and secure and portable electronic medical records to our conference program.”

With more than 800 registrants and 50 exhibitors and sponsors expected, the conference is the largest annual event for the government identity and security sector. This year’s conference will be held November 16th through the 19th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Details on the agenda, pricing, sponsors and exhibitors, and registration can be found on the Smart Card Alliance Web site.

The conference is organized in an interactive, instructive format that covers business issues, implementation best practices, and technology advancements happening in the government identity and security market. The event includes multiple tracks on technology, implementation and policy, allowing attendees to create their own agenda.

The Smart Card Alliance will offer the Certified Smart Card Industry Professional (CSCIP) Certification exam at the conference on November 19th at 3:00 p.m. The Alliance is also offering a full-day CSCIP Exam Preparation Course on Tuesday, November 16th as a pre-conference workshop. Information on CSCIP requirements, training modules, exam registration and fees can be found on the Smart Card Alliance Web site. The Federal Interagency Advisory Board (IAB) will hold their regular monthly meeting from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the event venue on November 16th. No registration is required to attend this open IAB meeting.

The conference is open to all individuals and organizations that wish to learn about the role of smart cards in government. Smart Card Alliance member organizations and government employees receive complimentary or discounted pricing for single day or full conference registrations. Early registration discounts are available through October 13th. Conference sponsors include Gemalto, L1 Identity Solutions, Deloitte, CSC, Hewlett Packard, MorphoTrak, Infineon, SafeNet, Xtex, and NXP.

*Acronyms defined:
FICAM–Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management
NSTIC–National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace
NHIN–Nationwide Health Information Network
TWIC–Transportation Worker Identification Credential
FRAC–First Responder Authentication Credential

About the Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.

Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S. and Latin America. For more information please visit http://www.securetechalliance.org.