HID Global, a worldwide provider of trusted identity solutions, announced a new version of its Credential Management System (CMS) that digitises smart card technology, expands the use of digital certificates in credentials and reaches new platforms that plastic cards don’t reach. The new ActivID CMS 5.0 makes it possible for people to be authenticated for digital access without using a physical smart card.
Ultimately, HID’s new CMS will help strengthen capabilities to prevent data breaches and create a trusted digital environment. With ActivID CMS 5.0, organisations can have greater confidence to trust the people who are accessing their networks and conducting digital transactions.
With the introduction of virtual smart cards and derived credentials, ActivID CMS 5.0 makes identification more portable digitally across cards, phones and other devices, takes advantage of new Windows software capabilities to simplify deployment of credentials, and offers the robustness and flexibility for customers to manage people’s credentials from the cloud.
HID’s CMS is widely used in the U.S. federal government to manage government ID badges
Digital access solutions
HID’s CMS is widely used in the U.S. federal government to manage government ID badges (known as PIV cards) as well as by enterprise organisations to increase the secure access of online resources. A number of technology and solution partners also rely on HID’s CMS for credential management. The customer needs that led to the development of the new capabilities in ActivID CMS 5.0 include:
- Eliminate the burden and cost of physically provisioning each plastic card for digital access and attaching a physical reader to a computer by making deployment easier and more cost-efficient
- Transport the same “identity’ of a person from a card to a mobile device in a seamless and compliant way
- Provide a cloud-ready solution for partners to integrate CMS 5.0 functionality into their own cloud platforms
Credential Management System
“Our ActivID Credential Management System 5.0 is a step up for digital identity, addressing the evolving expectations of our millions of customers who are currently on CMS 4,” said Brad Jarvis, Vice President & Managing Director, IAM Solutions, with HID Global. “With ActivID CMS 5.0, we are adding a higher level of trust to digital IDs and extending the types of applications that can benefit from HID’s identity and access management solutions, namely Windows logon, VPN, document signing, encryption, online resource access and multi-factor authentication – all without requiring a physical card or attached reader.”
HID virtual smart cards
Virtual smart cards are a secure alternative to smart cards, OTP tokens and other authentication methods
Leveraging a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), virtual smart cards are a secure alternative to smart cards, OTP tokens and other authentication methods. Furthermore, with derived credentials, ActivID CMS 5.0 will enable users to use the device of choice, such as reading encrypted email on a mobile phone instead of on a desktop computer.
The same process that is commonly deployed to issue a physical smart card is used to issue derived credentials, so customers can have the assurance that security is retained while simplifying deployment and reducing costs.
Working with PIV credentials, ActivID CMS 5.0 is fully compliant with the National Institute for Standard and Technology (NIST) FIPS 201 standard, including PIV derived credentials. HID Global is the market leader for PIV cards, which are used by US federal employees to access online government resources.
