All Smart Card Alliance Publications

The following is a list of all Smart Card Alliance reports and white papers in alphabetical order. Click here to find reports by category.

• Accepting Contactless Payments: A Merchant Guide
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council to assist merchants who are considering deployment of contactless payments. Merchants can use the information in this guide to decide whether contactless payment is right for them and to plan for, implement, and roll out contactless payments successfully. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Americas Smart Card Market Analysis Report
  The Smart Card Alliance, in collaboration with consulting company Frost & Sullivan, undertook an exercise in 2005 to evaluate the North and Latin American microcontroller smart card markets. The resulting report, Americas Smart Card Market Analysis, concludes that the smart card market will grow rapidly over the next five years throughout the Americas. The study provides detailed analysis of the size and growth of both microcontroller smart card shipments and revenue through 2010 by market sector, along with an analysis of key market trends and drivers. Download executive summary. View more information.

• Authentication Mechanisms for Physical Access Control.
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council to describe PIV card authentication mechanisms defined in NIST SP 800-116 and to describe additional authentication mechanisms that were not covered in SP 800-116, but that are important for organizations implementing PACS to increase security. These additional mechanisms can be essential to address the threats and risks that an organization anticipates. Download white paper. View executive summary.

• Best Practices for the Use of RF-Enabled Technology in Identity Management
  The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council developed this statement and FAQ to describe the industry position regarding recommended security and privacy best practices when using RF-enabled technology for identity management and to position RF-enabled contactless smart cards vs. RFID tags. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Boeing Profile
  This profile describes Boeing’s implementation of a smart-card-based employee identification card, called SecureBadge. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Co-Branded Multi-Application Contactless Cards for Transit and Financial Payment
  This white paper provides an overview of an approach for transit/financial payment convergence that leverages co-branding card business models and the multi-application capabilities provided by smart card technology. Download report. View full executive summary.

• The Consequences to Citizen Privacy and National Security in Adopting RFID Technology for Border Crossing Identity Documents
  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is incorporating radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in several border crossing documents that will be used to verify the identity of citizens re-entering the United States. The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council developed this white paper to discuss the security, privacy and operational issues with using RFID in human identification systems. The paper provides an overview of the use of RFID for supply chain applications, describes how RFID is proposed to be used in the DHS program, identifies key vulnerabilities with RFID systems that could be exploited, and proposes an alternative secure smart card-based solution for these border crossing identity programs. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Considerations for the Migration of Existing Physical Access Control Systems to Achieve FIPS 201 Compatibility
  The Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council developed this white paper to assist government agencies with the first phases of PACS migration to provide support for the new PIV cards that are being issued. It focuses on the current security environment for physical access and, through a series of questions, makes recommendations for how agencies can migrate and upgrade their current PACS to align them with the requirements of HSPD-12 and FIPS 201. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Contactless Payment and the Retail Point-of-Sale: Applications, Technologies and Transaction Models
  This report was developed by the Smart Card Alliance to describe contactless payment applications, technology options and transaction model alternatives. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Contactless Payment Security Statement
  The Contactless Payments Council of the Smart Card Alliance prepared this statement in response to recent reports that question the security of contactless payment cards and devices. Download statement. View full executive summary.

• Contactless Payments: Consumer Attitudes and Acceptance in the United States
  The Smart Card Alliance commissioned an independent survey of consumer attitudes toward contactless payment devices in August, 2006. The survey, conducted by Javelin Strategy & Research, concluded that there is a large, untapped market for the use of these devices. This report summarizes the key findings of the market research. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Contactless Payments: Delivering Merchant and Consumer Benefits
  This Smart Card Alliance report describes the qualitative and quantitative benefits of contactless payments for merchants and consumers in the United States. Included in the report is a sample merchant business case for a quick-service restaurant implementing contactless payment. The report also provides guidance on the implementation impact and best practices for merchants upgrading point-of-sale systems to support contactless payment, and outlines key consumer and merchant issues. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Contactless Payments: Frequently Asked Questions
  This document was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council to answer frequently-asked questions about contactless payments. Questions and answers include information about the market, contactless payment operation, signature waiver programs, merchant benefits and implementation, contactless payments security, form factors and card cost, future capabilities, and compliance with the EMV specification. Download FAQ. View full executive summary.

• Contactless Payments: Merchant ROI Model
  The Contactless and Mobile Payments Council Merchant Work Group created this Excel ROI model to assist merchants in calculating the return on investment for accepting contactless payments. The model, an example for a fast food restaurant are available. Download model. View model description.

• Contactless Payments Security Questions & Answers
  This document was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless Payments Council to address questions raised by the media about contactless payment security. The questions and answers below apply only to contactless payment using contactless smart card technology, as implemented by American Express, MasterCard and Visa. Download Q&A. View full Q&A.

• Contactless Smart Chip Technology: The Business Benefits
  This briefing provides an overview of why businesses are implementing contactless smart chip technology in broadly different environments and applications both within the United States and around the world. Download briefing. View full briefing.

• Contactless Technology for Secure Physical Access: Technology and Standards Choices
  This report provides a tutorial on the operation of a physical access control system, describes the three primary contactless technologies in use today for physical access control (125 kHz, ISO/IEC 14443 13.56 MHz and ISO/IEC 15693 13.56 MHz) and discusses key considerations in the design of a secure identification system that uses contactless technology. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Emergency Response Official Credentials: An Approach to Attain Trust in Credentials across Multiple Jurisdictions for Disaster Response and Recovery
  The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council and Physical Access Council developed this white paper to describe the benefits of using FIPS 201-based smart cards for ERO credentials and present credential use cases that support both emergency response and daily use. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• EMV Chip Cards Expected for Upscale U.S. Cardholders
  The Smart Card Alliance developed this statement to comment on The Nilson Report prediction that most top U.S. issuers will have EMV-compliant [2] chip cards available to select customers by the end of 2010 and to recommend a course of action for issuers. Download statement. View statement.

• EMV Migration Study and Market Analysis on Mexico and Brazil
  With Mexico and Brazil already well on their way to full migration, the Smart Card Alliance Latin America and Visa Inc. commissioned First Annapolis Consulting to survey issuers and acquirers in Brazil and Mexico on the current state of EMV migration and the long-term growth of the EMV market. The resulting report provides a detailed review of the adoption drivers, implementation considerations, migration strategies, business impact and evolution for Brazilian and Mexican issuers and acquirers. The study forecasts the size of the EMV/chip market in Brazil and Mexico through 2015, including chip cards, point-of-sale terminals and transactions. The report is available for a fee to both non-members and Smart card Alliance members. View report description.

• End-to-End Encryption and Chip Cards in the U.S. Payments Industry
  The Smart Card Alliance developed this position paper to present Smart Card Alliance perspectives on end-to-end encryption and to discuss how chip cards and dynamic cryptograms address card-based fraud. Download position paper. View position paper.

• ePassport Frequently Asked Questions
  The new electronic passports (ePassports) include digital and physical security technologies that are integrated together to provide significantly higher levels of security. ePassports use advanced technologies that secure identities and new processes throughout the entire chain of trust – from manufacturing to use of the ePassport. This frequently asked questions (FAQ) document was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Identity Council to answer questions about how the ePassport works and what technology is used to protect an ePassport holder’s personal information. Download FAQ. View document.

• ePassport Security Statement
  The Smart Card Alliance created this statement to respond to a news story stimulated by a German researcher has raised questions by the media about the security of RF-enabled smart card technology in ePassports. View statement.

• EPC Gen 2 RFID Tags vs. Contactless Smart Cards: Frequently Asked Questions
  The Identity Council developed this frequently asked questions document to discuss the differences between EPC Gen 2 RFID tags and contactless smart cards. The FAQ has a specific focus on how each technology supports security. Download FAQ. View full FAQ.

• FIPS 201 and Physical Access Control: An Overview of the Impact of FIPS 201 on Federal Physical Access Control Systems
  This Physical Access Council white paper provides a roadmap to the key specifications that agencies need to consider in implementing FIPS 201-compliant physical access control systems and provides an overview of the key open questions where work is still being done on standards definition and implementation guidance. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• FIPS 201 PIV II Card Use with Physical Access Control Systems: Recommendations to Optimize Transaction Time and User Experience
  The Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council developed this white paper to discuss factors that impact PIV II card transaction performance in PACS applications and provide recommendations on data encoding, user training and installation that can improve the user experience and reduce PIV II card PACS transaction time. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Fraud in the U.S. Payments Industry: Fraud Mitigation and Prevention Measures in Use and Chip Card Technology Impact on Fraud.
  The Smart Card Alliance developed this white paper to discuss how changes to the U.S. and global payments infrastructure are expected to affect card-based fraud in the United States and how different technologies can address this fraud. The different approaches used by the U.S. payments industry to combat fraud are described, including both preventative measures and mitigating measures. The white paper also examines the opportunity presented by new technologies and processes, particularly chip card-based technologies and processes, to help mitigate card-based fraud losses. Download white paper. View executive summary.

• French Sesam Vitale Health Card Profile
  This profile describes the French implementation of the Sesam Vitale health card. Download profile. View all profiles.

• German Health Card Profile
  This profile describes the German smart health card implementation. Download profile. View all profiles.

• HIPAA Compliance and Smart Cards: Solutions to Privacy and Security Requirements
  This report discusses how smart cards can help health care providers and insurance companies meet the requirements of HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. Designed as an educational overview for decision makers, it summarizes the HIPAA privacy and security requirements, provides an overview on how smart cards work, describes how smart cards can be used to support HIPAA compliance and implement other health care applications, and outlines key implementation success factors. The report includes profiles of several U.S. and international smart health card implementations. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Hong Kong Octopus Card Profile
  This profile describes the Hong Kong Octopus card launched in 1997 as an electronic purse for public transportation. Download profile.

• Identifiers and Authentication – Smart Credential Choices to Protect Digital Identity.
  The Smart Card Alliance developed this position paper to describe the issues with unique identifiers and discuss how smart cards can be used as authenticators when using unique identifiers. Download position paper. View position paper.

• Identity and Smart Card Technology and Application Glossary
  The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council developed this glossary to define commonly used terms related to identity and smart card technology and applications. Download glossary. View full glossary.

• Identity Management Systems, Smart Cards and Privacy
  This position paper describes key elements in the design of an identity management system that affect privacy and security and the benefits that smart cards bring to identity management systems. View document.

• Identity Management Systems, Smart Cards and Privacy: Frequently Asked Questions
  This FAQ answers questions about privacy, security and smart card benefits for identity management systems. Download FAQ. View full FAQ.

• Interoperable Identity Credentials for the Air Transport Industry
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council and Identity Council to provide the air transport industry with educational material on the use and applicability of interoperable identity credentials for use at airport facilities, and to propose a model for an interoperable identity credential that can leverage FIPS 201 and meet airport operational requirements. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Issuer and Merchant Best Practices: Promoting Contactless Payments Usage and Acceptance. The Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council developed this white paper to document issuer best practices for driving consumer awareness and use of contactless payments, and merchant best practices for driving consumer use and accepting contactless payments successfully at the point-of-sale (POS). This white paper provides practical guidance for the business and marketing staff at issuers and merchants to assist in enhancing or planning contactless payment initiatives. Download white paper. View executive summary.

• LifeNexus Personal Health Card Profile
  This profile describes the LifeNexus Personal Health Card. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Logical Access Security: The Role of Smart Cards in Strong Authentication
  This report describes the trends in implementing secure logical access. Written for decision makers in enterprises and government agencies, the report discusses current issues with logical access, reviews alternative approaches for authentication and presents key considerations that organizations should take into account when implementing stronger authentication for logical access. The benefits of using smart cards for logical access are presented, along with key business case factors that should be considered when deciding to invest in new technology for strong authentication. The report also describes the support provided for smart cards by the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. Download report. View full executive summary.

• London Oyster Card Profile
  This profile describes the London Oyster Card program. Download profile.

• Microsoft Profile
  This profile describes Microsoft’s 2002 deployment of a smart card employee identity system that manages both physical access and remote logical access to company networks. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Mount Sinai Medical Center Personal Health Card Profile
  This profile describes the Mount Sinai Medical Center Personal Health Card. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Physical Access Control System Migration Options for Using FIPS 201-1 Compliant Credentials
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council, in collaboration with the Security Industry Association (SIA), Open Security Exchange (OSE) and International Biometric Industry Association (IBIA), to assist government agencies with developing migration plans for using FIPS 201 compliant credentials in physical access control systems. The white paper describes key elements of a typical PACS, identifies migration considerations relative to each, and outlines different migration options and their benefits and challenges. The white paper also discusses options for integration, PACS enrollment and registration, and biometrics. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Privacy and Secure Identification Systems: The Role of Smart Cards as a Privacy-Enabling Technology
  This white paper defines privacy as the concept applies to an identification system and discusses how privacy considerations affect system design and implementation. It reviews how smart cards can provide a privacy-enabling technology for different ID systems, how they interact with other system components (e.g., smart card readers and host systems), and how smart cards can address the growing problem of identity theft. The paper recommends key guidelines for business practices and system designs that can help protect privacy. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Privacy, Identity, and the Use of RFID and RF-Enabled Smart Card Technology – A Smart Card Alliance Brief for State and Local Governments.
  State policy makers are looking carefully at the use of RFID technology in identity cards and the implications that holds for protecting privacy and personal information in identity applications and systems. This brief was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Identity Council to examine best practices for privacy-secure identity systems from the point of view of card technologies. Download brief. View document.

• Proximity Mobile Payments: Leveraging NFC and the Contactless Financial Payments Infrastructure
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council to describe opportunities for proximity mobile payments using NFC-enabled mobile phones and devices and the contactless financial payments infrastructure. The white paper describes what is necessary to implement and deploy proximity mobile payment systems, discusses the relevant technical and business issues from the perspective of the various stakeholders (e.g., mobile operators, the financial industry, end-users, providers and vendors), and outlines the potential opportunities and barriers that may impact its market adoption. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Proximity Mobile Payments Business Scenarios: Research Report on Stakeholder Perspectives
  The Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council developed this report to document research conducted to assess industry stakeholder perspectives on the different business models that could be deployed for proximity mobile payments. The report contains the results of interviews with 21 leading stakeholders in the financial and mobile payments industries. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Queens Health Network Profile
  This profile describes the Queens Health Network smart card-based patient health card. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Questions and Answers about the Proposed Use of RFID for U.S. Border Crossing Documents
  The Identity Council developed this Q&A document to accompany the white paper, “The Consequences to Citizen Privacy and National Security in Adopting RFID Technology for Border Crossing Identity Documents.” Download report.

• Rabobank Profile
  This profile describes Rabobank’s deployment of PKI-based smart cards to employees for logical access. Download profile. View all profiles.

• The REAL ID Act: Why Real ID Cards Should Be Based on Smart Card Technology
  The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council developed this position paper to provide support for the use of smart card technology to implement state driver’s licenses issued to comply with the REAL ID Act of 2005. Download position paper. View document.

• Recommendation on the Credential Numbering Scheme for the FIPS 201 PIV Card Global Unique Identifier.
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council to recommend a credential numbering schema for the FIPS 201 PIV card GUID that will work for federal as well as non-federal issuers. Download white paper. View executive summary.

• Remote Administration Software Attacks on Systems Using Public Key Security with and without Smart Cards
  Public key technology is increasingly used to protect against a wide range of potential security attacks on data and data transmissions. Remote administration tools are becoming increasingly popular for centralized administration and troubleshooting, but they carry a considerable potential for bypassing security systems. This white paper investigates the impact that smart cards can have on preventing remote administration software attacks. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• RF-Enabled Applications and Technology: Comparing and Contrasting RFID and RF-Enabled Smart Cards
  This Smart Card Alliance white paper compares RFID technology and RF-enabled smart cards and describes key requirements in RF-enabled applications. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• San Francisco Bay Area TransLink Profile
  This profile describes San Francisco Bay Area TransLink pilot. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Secure Identification Systems: Building a Chain of Trust
  This report discusses the importance of a robust chain of trust for secure ID systems. Developed for decision makers, the report summarizes why today’s ID systems are vulnerable, what makes an identification system secure, and what factors need to be considered in developing a secure ID system’s chain of trust. It defines the components of a secure ID system and discusses key considerations for enrollment, issuance, usage and implementation. The report describes how a robust chain of trust can be implemented to authenticate an individual’s identity and ensure the validity of the ID and credential once the ID has been issued and is in use. It describes the role smart cards play in the chain of trust, discusses smart card implementation considerations, and summarizes how smart cards can help to address the key vulnerabilities of current ID systems. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Security of Proximity Mobile Payments.
  This white paper was developed to provide an overview of the ecosystem of proximity mobile payments. It introduces the stakeholders in the mobile payment ecosystem and describes their roles and responsibilities in assuring the security of sensitive data. It explains how the payment application, consumer credentials and consumer account information are securely delivered to, loaded on and stored in a mobile device. It explains how a mobile device transmits data to a merchant at the point of sale, identifies risks present during the lifecycle of the payment device, and suggests countermeasures. It also identifies industry standards and certifications organization organizations that address this ecosystem. Download white paper. View executive summary.

• Serving Unbanked Consumers in the Transit Industry with Prepaid Card
  The Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council developed this white paper to provide the transit and financial industries with an educational overview of the various methods available for providing and re-loading fare media to individuals who do not have credit or debit cards, nor checking or savings accounts, and generally lack relationships with traditional banking institutions. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Shell Group Profile
  This profile describes Shell Group’s deployment of PKI-based smart cards to employees for logical access. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Smart Card Alliance Response to DHS REAL ID NPRM Federal Register Notice
  The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council developed and submitted this response to the Department of Homeland Security Federal Register notice, “Minimum Standards for Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes,” Docket No. DHS-2006-0030. The response was submitted to the Department of Homeland Security on May 7, 2007. Download response. View full executive summary.

• Smart Card Alliance Response to WHTI Passport Card Federal Register Notice
  The Identity Council developed and submitted a response to the Department of State Federal Register notice, “Card Format Passport; Changes to Passport Fee Schedule,” Docket ID DOS-2006-0329. This notice announced the DHS and Department of State plan to use “vicinity read” RFID technology compliant with ISO/IEC 18000-6 Part C instead of contactless smart card technology for the proposed passport card. Download response. View full executive summary.

• Smart Card Applications in the U.S. Healthcare Industry
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Healthcare Council to describe the value that smart cards deliver in a variety of U.S. healthcare applications. Developed as an educational overview for executives and senior managers in healthcare provider organizations, it reviews key challenges that the U.S. healthcare provider industry faces and examines the key drivers for implementing smart card-based systems to address these challenges. The white paper concludes with profiles of a number of organizations who are implementing smart cards illustrating the diversity of applications that are enabled by smart card technology and the business benefits that the technology delivers to healthcare organizations. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Smart Card Technology: The Right Choice for REAL ID
  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its final rule regarding minimum technology requirements for REAL ID drivers licenses on January 11, 2008. The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council developed this brief to describe the benefits to states for incorporating smart card technology into their REAL ID plans. Download document. View full document.

• Smart Cards and Biometrics in a Privacy-Sensitive Secure Personal Identification System
  This report is written for executive level technology and security managers and provides an overview of how biometrics and smart cards can be used to provide the highest security in an identity system. The report discusses the definition of a secure identification system, the function of biometrics in ID systems, biometric technology choices, and the advantages of coupling biometrics with smart card technology. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Smart Cards and Parking
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council to provide the parking industry with an overview of the technology and trends in the smart card marketplace and to provide the transit industry with an overview of the parking industry market and use of smart cards. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Smart Cards in U.S. Healthcare: Benefits for Patients, Providers and Payers
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Healthcare Council to describe the benefits of smart cards to healthcare industry participants. The paper describes the challenges within the healthcare industry and the clear opportunities for the use of smart card technology for security and privacy in healthcare. The paper examines smart card use in healthcare today and suggests additional applications for consideration. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Sun Microsystems JavaBadge Profile
  This profile describes Sun Microsystems’ deployment of smart card-based JavaBadge to employees. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Taiwan Health Card Smart Card Project Profile
  This profile describes the Taiwanese implementation of a national health care smart card. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Texas Medicaid Profile
  This profile describes the pilot of the Texas Medicaid Integrity smart card program. Download profile. View all profiles.

• The Top 10 Hot Identity Topics
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Identity Council to provide a high-level discussion of the top 10 challenges associated with current identity systems. This paper covers a range of topics and offers perspectives on how the most critical identity issues can be addressed with policy, process, and technology solutions. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Transit and Contactless Financial Payment: New Opportunities for Collaboration and Convergence
  The Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council developed this white paper to discuss how the new financial and transit industry directions could impact transit industry fare payment. The white paper is intended to provide a framework for discussion of the opportunities and challenges in linking transit and financial payment and to present options for how standard contactless financial payment devices can be used for transit fare payment. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Transit and Retail Payment: Opportunities for Collaboration and Convergence
  Developed for decision-makers in transit agencies and potential transit agency partners, this report describes the potential opportunities for collaboration on a combined transit-retail payment card. The report discusses transit payment using contactless smart cards, the status of smart cards and contactless payment for financial/retail payment in the U.S., scenarios and opportunities for collaboration, and key considerations/issues for transit-retail payment convergence. The report includes profiles of several U.S. and international contactless transit smart card implementations that are extending the use of the smart card beyond transit payment to other applications. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Transit Payment System Security
  The Smart Card Alliance Transportation Council developed this white paper to outline the approaches that the transit industry uses throughout payment systems to ensure the security of transactions and data and to discuss recent research on one contactless chip product that is used in many transit AFC systems. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Profile
  This profile describes the TSA TWIC program. Download profile. View all profiles.

• U.S. Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC) Profile)
  This profile describes the background and origins of the U.S. Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC). Download profile. View all profiles.

• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Profile
  This profile describes the UPMC smart patient health card pilot. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Using FIPS 201 and the PIV Card for the Corporate Enterprise
  The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council and Physical Access Council developed this white paper to provide an overview of FIPS 201 for corporate enterprise executives and to describe the benefits of using FIPS 201 as the foundation for enterprise identity management programs. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Using Smart Cards for Secure Physical Access
  This report provides a primer for understanding physical access control systems that use a smart ID card for personal identification. Designed as an educational overview for decision makers and security planners, the report describes physical access system architecture and components, provides guidance on key implementation considerations, describes smart card technologies used for physical and logical access, discusses migration considerations in moving from legacy physical access systems to smart card-based systems and showcases other applications that can be combined with a smart card-based secure physical access system. Download report. View full executive summary.

• Ventura County Transit Smart Card Profile
  This profile describes Ventura County Transit smart card. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)–SmarTrip Profile
  This profile describes WMATA SmartTrip program. Download profile. View all profiles.

• Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative PASS Card: Recommendations for Using Secure Contactless Technology vs. RFID
  The Identity Council developed this position paper to provide support for the use of ISO/IEC 14443-based technology for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative PASS card system and to recommend a technology trial to evaluate the performance of both EPC Gen 2 and ISO/IEC 14443-based technologies before DHS makes a final implementation decision. Download position paper. View full executive summary.

• What Makes a Smart Card Secure?
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council Security Work Group to provide an overview of the security features available with contactless and contact smart cards and describe how the security features might apply or be important to different applications. Download report. View full executive summary.

• The What, Who and Why of Contactless Payments
  This white paper was developed by the Smart Card Alliance Contactless and Mobile Payments Council to describe the key changes associated with the use of contactless payments in North America, including the additional value such payments can provide to issuers, acquirers/processors, independent sales organizations (ISOs), retailers, and consumers. This paper is intended to facilitate communications among the various industry stakeholders by describing current market activities and standardizing definitions key to understanding contactless payments. Download white paper. View full executive summary.

• Wiegand Message Recommendations
  The Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council developed this industry recommendation to respond to requests for sample Wiegand message formats that will handle the additional fields of the Federal Agency Smart Credential Number (FASC-N) for programs that use Credential Series fields and Individual Credential Issue to identify credential holders. In addition, the recommendation defines device status messages to log field device activity. Additional Wiegand formats are defined to support this enhanced messaging along with the extra fields of the FASC-N. Download document. View full executive summary.