Honeywell delivers innovative technologies for FIPS 201 solution

Honeywell Security, a leading manufacturer of security solutions, has further strengthened its government offering by introducing an integrated physical and logical access control system (PACS/LACS) that complies with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12). “Honeywell Security has an extensive presence in the government and military sector with its Integrated Security (formerly NexWatch) and Vindicator Solutions businesses,” says Vineet Nargolwala, director of Strategic Marketing for Honeywell Access Systems. “This new solution helps our customers comply with the requirements of HSPD-12, which mandates the implementation of a common personal identification card to be used by both government employees and contractors.”

The key implications to PACS mandated by the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 201 (FIPS 201) are:

• Use of a smart card that meets FIPS 201 standards. The card must have a contactless interface for most access control applications and a contact interface for higher security and enrollment.

• A secure and approved PIV Card issuance process with stringent control and management of the issuance of cards with appropriate audit logs and identity management.

• The registration and use of a PIV Card in the PACS. A contact chip interface enables the cardholder to enter a PIN and verifies the cardholder’s fingerprint, allowing the operator to validate the card.

• The handling of revoked PIV Cards in PACS. The PACS must get scheduled updates regarding cards that have been revoked and then to make consequential updates to the PACS panels, readers, etc.

For existing access control customers, Honeywell has established migration paths. “We want to help our customers preserve as much of their installed base as possible,” explains Beth Thomas, senior product manager at Honeywell. “Our FIPS solution is modular and can be either installed as an end-to-end solution or piece by piece to fit any ongoing implementation.”

Although many agencies will be able to retain and utilize existing equipment, most government agencies will have to install new smart card-based readers. Thomas recommends Honeywell’s OmniAssure^™ contactless readers, which can be updated through simple firmware upgrades to meet the changing personal identification standards mandated by FIPS 201. “OmniAssure readers have been certified by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). In addition, OmniAssure readers feature a patent-pending flash-on-card design that allows the reader’s flash firmware to be easily updated without removing the unit from the wall,” she adds. The updates additionally support current changing government standards such as Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) and First Responder Authentication Credentials (FRAC).

Honeywell has teamed with Novell, ImageWare Systems Inc., and ActivIdentity to bring together a complete FIPS solution that not only meets the FIPS 201 requirements, but also provides productivity and lifecycle benefits to maximize an organization’s investment. As Thomas puts it, “Our partners provide best-in-class solutions that, when brought together, create an end-to-end business solution, not just FIPS 201 compliance.”