BEDFORD, Mass., Oct. 16 -- RSA, the security division of EMC today announced that RSA Card Manager software was approved by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for use in Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) environments. In addition, RSA Authentication Client Middleware received HSPD-12 approval. GSA approval allows U.S. federal agencies to utilize RSA's card management system, and its related middleware, to help enable them to address the HSPD-12 mandate.
RSA Card Manager is a personal identity verification (PIV) card management system that helps federal agencies comply with HSPD-12. As required for GSA approval, RSA Card Manager is an interoperable system that supports a broad range of third-party HSPD-12 solution components, including PIV-II cards, biometrics technology, hardware security modules and externally managed public key infrastructure offered by approved Shared Service Providers.
RSA Authentication Client technology can serve as the interface between a PIV card and the applications and/or infrastructure using digital certificates for actions such as authentication, encryption and digital signing. RSA Authentication Client middleware previously received Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 201 validation, which is required for key technology solutions operating within HSPD-12 environments.
"As U.S. federal agencies adopt technologies that will enable them to issue and manage PIV cards, it is vital that these organizations have access to technology solutions that have been approved to operate in an HSPD-12 environment," said Shannon Kellogg, director of information security policy and programs at RSA. "By delivering both a card management system and middleware with GSA approval, RSA has the ability to provide U.S. federal agencies the means to achieve immediate compliance while also ensuring their organization's long-term security."
Further details regarding RSA's efforts to serve the U.S. federal government are available at www.rsasecurity.com/government.
