New York, NY, January 28, 2002–The Smart Card Alliance, a non-profit association working to accelerate the widespread adoption of multiple applications for smart card technology, today released the white paper entitled, “Secure Personal Identification Systems: Policy, Process and Technology Choices for a Privacy-Sensitive Solution.” Due to an increased awareness in physical security and demands to provide secure network access, government agencies, industry groups and businesses are intensifying their efforts to arrive at solutions to improve the security of personal identification systems. The new Alliance paper describes key policy, process and technology considerations for a secure personal ID system and speaks directly to a key concern–protection of individual privacy rights.

“This paper shows how smart cards provide the optimal solution for secure personal identification systems, delivering secure and accurate identification while also including features that help protect an individual’s privacy,” said Paul Beverly, chairman of the Smart Card Alliance and vice president of SchlumbergerSema Transaction Systems.

The white paper was developed by leaders in the smart card industry who are participating in the Smart Card Alliance Secure Personal Identification Task Force. The paper outlines why smart card technology is currently the best choice for delivering cost-effective, fraud-proof and accurate identity verification. It examines different ID technologies and public policy perspectives, addresses key questions and discusses the role that smart cards can play in implementing trusted personal credentials.

“The paper shows that smart card based identification solutions meet the requirements of a wide range of policy and legal mandates, offer unmatched flexibility and incorporate privacy-sensitive features,” said Donna Farmer, CEO and president of the Smart Card Alliance. “Smart cards can help organizations implementing personal identification systems to balance the need for security with features that protect individuals’ personal information.”

In addition, the task force white paper advances the position that smart card based identification solutions offer tamper resistant security features and are a proven, cost-effective solution that balances initial cost with the highest security architecture and the flexibility to more easily modify and upgrade the system over time.

The focus of the first day of the upcoming Smart Card Alliance conference, in Austin, Texas on February 6–7, is the personal ID card debate and its ramifications for the U.S. population, economy, and technical infrastructure. Many of the contributors to the white paper will be present to discuss the findings and answer questions.

More than 20 organizations, both public and private, participated in the task force to develop this white paper. Task force members include: Atmel, Avisian, Caradas, CrossCom National, Datacard Group, Datakey, Foley Hoag, Gemplus, Huntington Bank, IBM, Identrus LLC, MasterCard International, Northrop Grumman Information Technology, Oberthur Card Systems, SchlumbergerSema, SCM Microsystems, Visa, and Xansa.

A copy of the white paper can be obtained at https://www.securetechalliance.org.

About the Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for profit, multi-industry association of member firms working to accelerate the widespread acceptance of multiple applications for 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. For more information please visit https://www.securetechalliance.org.