HID Global’s pivCLASS readers and authentication systems now FIPS 201 compliant

HID's pivCLASS enables customers to simplify FIPS 201 compliance for a physical access control system

HID Global, trusted leader in solutions for the delivery of secure identity, announced that the company’s pivCLASS readers and authentication systems have achieved compliance with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Evaluation Program for certifying that products meet Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201 federal identity specifications. The products are the industry’s most complete solution to enable FIPS 201 compliance without having to replace existing access control systems, and the first to be certified for validation services both during registration or enrollment and at the door or other access point.

“HID Global’s pivCLASS suite of products is the first fully integrated and government-approved FIPS 201 compliance solution on the market from a single supplier,” said Dr. Bob Dulude, director, Federal Identity Initiative with HID Global. “Now certified by the GSA for use in reading, validating and authenticating FIPS 201 credentials, our pivCLASS solutions enable U.S. federal government agencies and contractors to substantially reduce the cost and complexity of complying with federal identity standards while also significantly improving interoperability and security.”

pivCLASS solutions enable customers to streamline and simplify FIPS 201 compliance for a physical access control system (PACS) by simply deploying: pivCLASS readers; pivCLASS authentication modules between the readers and the existing PACS panel; and a validation server for centralised management and control of system components.  The resulting solution performs FIPS 201 authentication steps for all National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-defined assurance levels, from the time of enrollment to the time of access. The pivCLASS suite supports PKI-at-the-door mandates and PIV-I and CIV (also known as PIV-C) requirements for cards issued by non-federal entities, as well as the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).

pivCLASS products that now appear on the GSA Approved Product List include the company’s array of pivCLASS readers, Cardholder Unique Identifier (CHUID) authentication system, Card Authentication Key (CAK) authentication system, and PIV + PIN authentication system. Each system consists of HID Global pivCLASS readers, validation server software, and authentication modules, and  provides FIPS 201 validation services for PIV, PIV-I, CIV, CAC, TWIC and First Responder Authentication Card (FRAC) card holders to prove they are who they claim to be.