April 8, 2005—Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez recently approved a new standard for a smart-card-based form of identification for all federal government departments and agencies, with specific technical and operational requirements for a Personal Identification Verification (PIV) card.
About the size of a credit card, the PIV card will contain integrated circuit chips for storing electronic information, a personal identification number and biometric data—a printed photograph and two electronically stored fingerprints. The standard includes requirements to protect the privacy of PIV cardholders.
The Office of Management and Budget will provide privacy and implementation guidelines to federal agencies. For more information visit the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
