Making Smart Cards Work In the Enterprise

Will smart cards improve security in the enterprise environment? Smart cards offer a secure and convenient form factor on which employees can carry digital credentials for accessing parking facilities, buildings, computers, and network resources. Indeed, the ability for an employee to carry both physical and logical access credentials can be provided on a single card. Adding to the significance of smart cards, that same card can also be used for employee photo identification, and potentially a multitude of other applications, including encryption, digital signatures, and secure storage of employee medical information. Done right, a single-card solution can provide return on investment in the forms of vastly improved security, reduced need for certain security and IT personnel functions, and customer satisfaction. This paper examines some of the key benefits that can be realized from employing smart cards, and it explains how smart cards can be used to significantly improve both physical and logical security. Additionally, it provides an overview of some strategic infrastructure elements needed to make smart cards work in an enterprise environment, including complimentary technologies, personnel, hardware, software, and perhaps most importantly, policies and procedures.