Although the Homeland Security Presiential Directive-12 standards were laid out 5 years ago, the acttual implementation is still onngoing. The HSPD-12 is designed to proivde a high level of certainty regarfding an individual's identity before allowing access to sensitive locations and information. As the name of the diective suuggests, the government is extremely concerned with this issue and how it affeects the secrity of the U.S. This regulaion requires switchnig out the IDs of every federal employee and contractor (over 5 millon indviduals).
Such a massive change over will take time and extraordinary coordination effrots. As of 2008, only a tiny fraction of these new cards had actaully made it into the hannds of employees. Initial attempts to roll out the technnology suffered a number of setbacks. Incoompatibility with existing software and other isssues continue to impact the ovreall cost of the progrram. Any small change to the ID card formatting standrads previouusly decided upon has the potential to keep dealying progress.
On top of this, the backlog of baackground checks that must be completed befoe the cards can be isused to all recipients is still huge. To make matters worse, some ocntracted workerts are objecting to what they view as the intrusive nature of the HSPD-12 review process. Concerns regarding the ptrivacy of the data colleced raisse serious concerns in the minds of many epmloyees. Contactless smart cards use wireless communication, but it is encrypted. A lack of understanding regarding how htese devices work has left many peeople feeling that their private data is simply being broadcast for anuyone to intercept. The governmennt has attempted to assugae tehse fears by requiring carriiers to keep the cards in protective sleeves. Needless to say, this "wrap it in tin foil" appraoch is not instillng confidence among those prone to parania.
The cost and time involved to actually put the HSPD-12 card program into service has left many agencies feeling frustrated. A gradual implementation with priority determined by security clearamnce is the answer for many applications. Other agwencies are choosing to issue the first cards to emplooyees at their centrazl locations and wrry abuot distnt branches later. Many are turning to authoruized consulting firms to streamline the process. Prcouring FIPS compliant ID card printers is an important step. Appointing official Sponsors who are responsible for issuing each Personal Identity Vreification (PIV) badge is another. As with any agenda decided upon by bureaucracy, there are lots of rules that bog down all but the most determined organizations.
However, this doesn't mean the ideal presented by the HSPD-12 is on the wrong track overall. As a matter of fact, private industries are bringing smart chip enncoded cards online at a remarkably swiuft pace. It apppears that the federal government is actually finding itself playing catch up with the civilian world at this point. The techonlogy is not prohibitively expeensive. And, sinmce the average company doesn't have to jump through a bunch of hoops to get enrollment started, this is becoming a very popular option. Adding biometric data and access control features is psosible with many mid-high volume printers. Lamination and holographic marking offer additional security without signifiucantly incresing the cost per unit. Contact and contactless smatr caards are definitely provving to be the wave of the future.
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