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May 2007 • Volume 12 Number 5
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Member Profile: BearingPoint
1. What are Thales e-Security 's main business profile and offerings? Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group serving defense, aerospace, and security markets worldwide. Thales provides comprehensive cryptographic security products and solutions; Federated Identity applications supporting FIPS 201, Real ID and aviation credentials; e-security transaction solutions between businesses and governments; and wireless and wireline network communications security. 2. What role does smart card technology play in supporting Thales e-Security' s business? 3. What trends do you see developing in the market that Thales e-Security hopes to capitalize on? Federated ID solutions and the converged ID between logical and physical are emerging as a dominant market need. Thales e-Security is providing products and services that enable any vertical opportunity to take advantage of these solutions. 4. What obstacles to growth do you see that must be overcome to capitalize on these opportunities? Not many. Certainly the growth curve of issuance for FIPS 201 PIV compliant credentials within the U.S. government will increase over the next several years. As this ripples out into state/local governments and enterprises, even more opportunity is created. 5. What do you see are the key factors driving smart card technology in the market? Standards. Operational need. The standards are the enabler that solves operational needs. Smart cards have been and will continue to be the technology of choice in these scenarios. FIPS 201, ICAO's ePassport and related identity initiatives are causing a sea change in industry. This improves operational efficiency, enables federation, and addresses real concerns for privacy and security in our ever increasingly electronic world. 6. How do you see your involvement in the Alliance and the industry councils helping Thales e-Security? The Alliance's industry councils are recognized as giving extremely valuable advice and assistance to implementations of smart card technology around the world. Highlighting challenges and bringing expertise together to cooperate on solutions, these councils have enabled customer success. Without this cooperative, solutions-focused capability, industry solutions drag. The Alliance's industry councils are critical to success of the overall market. A rising tide floats all boats, and Thales e-Security will clearly benefit by active participation in these councils. There is real pressure on privacy and security for identity documents in the United States. We are just beginning the dialog on what the uses of strong ID documents are in the U.S. With activity around Real ID, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, FIPS 201, First Responder Authentication Credentials, SIDA-II regulations for airports, Registered Traveler and more, there is a significant opportunity to establish the U.S. as a leader in the global ID market. The Identity Council will be critical to these activities.
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This month, Smart Card Talk spoke with Stephen Howard, VP, Business Development, Identity Management, for Thales e-Security, Inc. Mr. Howard has over 24 years of information technology experience and knowledge. Success in these areas was born on a wealth of technology experience from sixteen years in software, systems engineering and information security covering both commercial and government sectors. Mr. Howard has extensive experience in public key cryptographic solutions, biometric technology, smart card systems, and large scale IS/IT infrastructures. Mr. Howard led the technology tiger team that developed FIPS 201 recommendations to NIST on behalf of the GSC-IAB. He is experienced in systems and operations of smart cards technologies inclusive of silicon fabrication, manufacturing, cryptography, contactless, and biometric methods. Mr. Howard is vice chair of the Smart Card Alliance Identity Council and presents in Smart Card Alliance-sponsored tutorials for smart cards in IT solutions and Federated ID activities.
