!"#$"%& National ID Cards Today and Beyond: Streamlining the Delivery of Multi-Technology ID Solutions

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1 !"#$"%& National ID Cards Today and Beyond: Streamlining the Delivery of Multi-Technology ID Solutions Alex Giakoumis Senior Director Technical Marketing, LaserCard (part of HID Global) June, 2011 LaserCard Corporation 1875 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA USA tel: fax:

2 Introduction LaserCard s FIPS- certified Smart Card ID Solutions Platform streamlines the process of creating multifunctional ID card solutions from design to manufacture to issuance. Designed to help customers and partners integrate the optimal level of security and efficiency into the most advanced ID credentials, this comprehensive platform leverages LaserCard s technology, manufacturing and security expertise to deliver the shortest and most cost- effective path to a multi- functional program. This paper examines the evolution of secure ID credential programs and LaserCard s unique levels of technology and consulting expertise in assisting such projects to a successful outcome. Increasing the security and utility of national ID programs is one of the most pressing concerns of governments around the world. In conjunction with the growing demand for combined, card- based solutions that enable authentication, facility access and even payment of fees and taxes (the latter being one of the core premises of e- government solutions) this has become a key driver of the evolution of advanced ID solutions, encouraging innovation across all areas of the industry. As a result, sophisticated credentials featuring layers of visual, physical and digital security have become a key mechanism helping governments to protect their citizens and their borders and to streamline the delivery of a wide range of services. Central to this development is the multi- functional ID card, capable of performing multiple levels and types of authentication, via an extremely secure, transactional card- based eco- system. Such cards achieve economies of scale and administrative efficiencies by leveraging common IT infrastructures, databases and data capture capabilities. Increasingly, cards currently being used solely for ID authentication are being designed to accommodate additional functions at later stages in their lifecycle. Countries such as Italy, Costa Rica and Angola have built platforms for future e- government or multi- functional solutions directly into a variety of ID programs. By incorporating an appropriate technology or combination of identity technologies onto a single credential, government agencies are able to offer transactional services as well as secure identity and access. For example, all employees of the National Police Force of Italy (Carabinieri) carry a multi- technology card containing three machine- readable technologies a contact chip, a contactless chip, and optical security media along with other important security features. The card can be used to access the country s police information system, serves as a highly secure citizen ID card and employee badge, and enables transactions services such as employee parking or food purchases. Concept To Reality While the concept of a multi-functional card is simple, the reality is very difficult to achieve. Considerable industry knowledge and design skills, together with technical and manufacturing expertise, must be employed to ensure that the end result conforms to international standards in terms of size, security, functionality, durability and interoperability. Nevertheless, such cards are ultimately a more cost- effective, efficient option than multiple single- purpose credentials. They enable ID program decision makers to ensure a uniformly high standard of the most advanced security across all designated functions. To understand the design and manufacturing processes involved in delivering several capabilities on one card, it is necessary to understand the features and functions of the available technologies. Evolution of Secure ID Solutions The level of security and risk associated with each ID card will dictate the precise nature and number of the anti- counterfeit measures to be applied. However, given the vulnerabilities that result from even small amounts of 2

3 personal information falling into the wrong hands, the overall level of security associated with ID cards is steadily growing. The 1990s saw the evolution of ID from paper- based documents to credit card- sized credentials that are capable of integrating a number of security features. For secure and durable ID credentials, PET and polycarbonate are becoming the most popular materials into which security features can be incorporated. There are a number of security printing features that may be applied to ID cards such as optically variable inks, ultra- violet inks, rainbow, microtext, guilloche and other patterns fading into the background. Figure 1, below, shows a sample of such features. However, ID credential solutions performing multiple functions for government agencies must surpass the security available via card body options alone. Figure 1: A small list of card body security features. By the late 1990s, a new type of ID card was rapidly gaining traction. Government projects increasingly called for powerful multi- purpose ID credentials that maintain the highest levels of security while fulfilling functions such as entry into secure facilities, faster border crossing, driver license services, vehicle registration, ID for voting privileges, health care services and many more. This called for ID card solutions that surpassed the security available via card body options alone, and resulted in the more widespread use of specialized machine- readable technologies. 3

4 Figure 2: ID technology evolution. There are two principle categories of advanced technology used in secure identity credentials: secure microcontroller IC chips (smart card chips) and optical security media (OSM). While each of these secure ID technologies lends unique capabilities to an ID credential, the increasing demand for multi- functional card programs cannot always be met by a single technology. A combination of both technologies in customized combinations on a single card delivers far greater security and value than any other multi- purpose, or multi- card solution. This combination forms the next generation of secure ID cards. Secure microcontroller IC chips, commonly used in many types of Smart Cards, verify and control transactions between the credential and its outside world through the reader and may contain such information as biometric, personal, or account data that individuals need to effectively process transactions. There are three types of secure IC chips that may be used on secure ID cards contact, contactless and dual interface. OSM is a tamperproof, highly counterfeit- resistant visual and physical security feature that can also store unalterable data related to the credential holder, such as a high resolution facial image and biometric data. Delivering the Multi- Technology Credential Examples of multi- technology credentials can be seen in cards issued for major ID programs, including Italy s Carabinieri program (described above and illustrated below), several Indian state vehicle registration cards which support both ID authentication and records/payment management, and the U.S. Green Card, which offers highly secure ID authentication and RFID to facilitate border crossing. Saudi Arabia s national ID card program employs contact chip and optical security media, and is envisioned as both a citizen national ID card and a token for the streamlined delivery of a variety of government services including e- banking. 4

5 Figure 3: Multi- technology combines both OSM and Smart Card Chips on the same card body. Based on our depth of experience and understanding of the industry, we believe that the combination of OSM and smart card provides the best choice of technology today. As contactless inlays become thinner and thinner, the integration of contactless or dual interface smart card technology together with the OSM becomes an automatic choice for appropriate projects. Some of the key advantages to our multi- technology approach: OSM + Smart Card technology provides a platform for the highest level of security OSM + Smart Card technology leverages clients existing infrastructure OSM + Smart Card technology provide a platform for the delivery of any required application or service. Integrated technologies improve the way in which existing public services are provided Integrated technologies help rationalize resources and reduce cost for government agencies, citizens and businesses Integrating technologies fosters competitiveness by simplifying processes and procedures Figure 4 shows the state- of- the- art architecture we are able to implement using one of the latest highly secure Common Criteria EAL5+ certified crypto- controllers. This secure crypto- controller provides at least 72Kbytes of EEPROM and is capable of addressing all today s possible ID requirements. 5

6 Figure 4: Smart card architecture. Potential smart card applications include but are not limited to the following: National/personal ID Driver s license Vehicle registration Voter ID E- government Other (Social Security, welfare, health care: patient and provider cards) Security features include: Different security levels for different applications on the secure crypto- controller chip. Two- factor authentication: something you have (card) and something you know (password). Three- factor authentication: adds biometric information to verify something you are. LaserCard Crypto- Controller Platform The main features of the LaserCard crypto- controller platform, forming the foundation supporting all previously mentioned smart card applications, are summarized below: EEPROM: >= 72Kbytes 1 to 128 bytes program / erase =<1.25mS / program and =<1.25mS / erase Java Card : or 3.01 GlobalPlatform : or 2.2 Crypto- processor o TDES and AES (128, 192 & 256 bits) 6

o o o Random number generator (RNG) RSA 2048, DSA, Diffie- Hellman ECC key generation o JC API key length: 112,128, 160 and 192 o Application key lengths support: 256, 384 & 521 FIPS 140-2 Level 3 &

alone provide multi- factor authentication and security controls that could be used for access control, data storage and even payment, the addition of OSM technology greatly enhances the card s

7 o o o Random number generator (RNG) RSA 2048, DSA, Diffie- Hellman ECC key generation o JC API key length: 112,128, 160 and 192 o Application key lengths support: 256, 384 & 521 FIPS Level 3 & Common Criteria EAL5+ certified ISO 7816 controller o Up to 625 kbps or better o Communication protocol: T=0 and T=1 While the power of the CPU and crypto- processor of the secure microcontroller alone provide multi- factor authentication and security controls that could be used for access control, data storage and even payment, the addition of OSM technology greatly enhances the card s visual and physical security, acknowledging that the majority of ID card inspection and examination today is visual. OSM also delivers a forensic- level authentication capability and greatly enhances counterfeit resistance. Figure 5: OSM design improvements. As shown in Figure 5, the tamper- proof OSM technology incorporates security enhancements that support confident visual document examination. A short list of some of the security features includes: Visual Security Features Personalized optically variable device with ghost imaging, watermarks, dynamic text Ultra- high resolution (up to 24,000 dpi) security patterns and images Covert diffractive image Optical Storage Media Data cannot be altered Storage of over 1MB user data Portable offline authentication and applications The integration of OSM with smart card technology brings a series of advantages, all of them offering a high return on investment in the credential (Figure 6) by combining two or more functions on a single card. 7

Figure 7: Smart card architecture that includes PKI Government services and more.

8 Figure 6: Multi- technology ID platform. The multi- technology ID card provides a robust and innovative foundation for any government program. It offers the flexibility to be easily extended to a centralized PKI infrastructure and securely provide future e- Government services (Figure 7). Figure 7: Smart card architecture that includes PKI Government services and more. Card Construction To ensure the effectiveness of a multi- purpose ID credential, a card manufacturer must take into account materials science, ISO and other international standards, durability, and a host of technical and structural considerations. LaserCard has built an exceptional level of technology- inclusive expertise in the secure ID credential arena, based on years of innovation and development for agencies that depend on the highest levels of security, quality, durability, and reliability. The company s expertise in the lamination of complex structures and the application of diverse materials to protect the structural integrity of the credential, while respecting international standards, has resulted in many industry innovations. Modern ID documents are required to stand up to many types of stress, ranging from attempts at physical alteration, to years of inconsiderate handling in a variety of environments and weather conditions. To deliver the most secure, durable and climate- resistant cards, the industry is increasingly turning to polycarbonate as the material of choice. LaserCard s ongoing research and development over more than 25 years has enabled it 8

9 to overcome the most significant obstacles and extend the benefits of polycarbonate to a broad range of customers and variety of highly secure ID card programs. FIPS Certification Today, the U.S. and other national governments have mandated FIPS certification from their ID solutions suppliers to ensure they meet the most complex and technically challenging requirements of modern government ID programs. For any company committed to serving the government secure ID market, FIPS certification is an essential qualification. The Smart Card ID Platform from LaserCard (now part of HID Global) holds FIPS Security Level 3 certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for its LCC- IDProtect smart card ID module. The certification confirms that the LaserCard Smart Card ID Platform meets the highest level of security in national ID technology, and highlights HID s commitment to serving the U.S. Government market with a leading set of advanced, secure ID solutions. LaserCard Smart Card ID Solutions Platform In response to the increasingly complex ID requirements of governments worldwide, LaserCard offers a secure micro- controller based Smart Card ID Solutions Platform for contact, contactless or multiple interface environments The foundation of the Smart Card ID platform is a set of features, technology, partnerships and consulting services meeting the most complex technology and functionality requirements, complying with exacting standards across a breadth of applications, and supported by our unmatched industry expertise in design, manufacture and issuance of secure ID card programs. Our Smart Card ID Solutions Platform provides an open- ended platform that delivers fortress- like protection for passwords, digital identity credentials, personal information, network access and more. Our continuous innovation programs ensure that we offer partners and customers the most advanced, high performance secure ID credentials and solutions available today. LaserCard s global experience in advanced secure credential technologies, together with the expertise of its parent company, HID Global, place the company in a unique position to assist any client planning a major ID card program that will utilize technology combinations to achieve their security and service goals. For further information, please contact us at: The Americas: tel: , sales@lasercard.com Europe, Middle East & Africa: tel: ; E- mail: sales.emea@lasercard.com 9

HID Global Government ID Solutions

HID Global Government ID Solutions Claudio Perez, Senior Sales Manager Government ID Solutions Latin America ICAO MRTD Seminar, St. Maarten July 2013 HID Global Government ID Solutions: Unique In the Secure