ActivIdentity’s CMS Appliance adds Smart Card Alliance’s new CIV credential to its capabilities

Fremont, Calif., Feb. 15, 2012– ActivIdentity, part of HID Global, trusted leader in solutions for the delivery of secure identity, today announced that its ActivID Credential Management System (CMS) Appliance now offers the industry's newly defined Commercial Identity Verification (CIV) credential and fully integrates with HID Global's new Crescendo C800 smart card. The CIV credential as defined by the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council formally establishes the availability of a PIV-level credential for commercial enterprise that replaces the PIV-C concept. ActivIdentity participated in developing the Smart Card Alliance's recently released
white paper on the topic, which clearly defined the CIV credential, its corporate benefits, planning and implementation considerations, use cases and best practices.

"By leveraging PIV standards and FIPS 201 compliance measures, ActivIdentity's CMS Appliance brings government-level physical and IT security to the private sector with the addition of the CIV credential," said Yves Massard, director, product line management of ActivIdentity. "By completely integrating Crescendo smart cards, the industry's first-ever CMS appliance has achieved yet another milestone by extending its versatility for ActivIdentity's small- to mid-sized enterprise customers."

As part of HID Global, ActivIdentity offers its customers a full range of smart card and physical access options, as Crescendo smart cards are now preconfigured to work with ActivIdentity's CMS Appliance. Crescendo greatly expands smart card capabilities by adding a smart chip, which enables the holder to use the same credential to log onto operating systems, applications and VPNs, and also to encrypt files and emails, as well as sign documents and transactions.