Publications – Physical Access

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

• 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 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.