Personal Identification Cards Become More Powerful

Federal employees and contractors are receiving updated identity management tools to log onto federal computers or to enter government facilities. The National Institute of Standards and Technology issued new versions of the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Card as mandated by revised standards. The stronger authentication credential combines cutting-edge technology with lessons learned from federal agencies. Improvements include a derived PIV credential option for use in mobile devices, an optional on-card fingerprint comparison capability, use of iris pattern as a biometric with or without fingerprints, optional secure messaging between cards and readers, and remote updating of the card’s credentials.