SIA Gets Slot On FIPS 201 Task Force
The Security Industry Association (SIA) will play a central role on a new committee designed to jump-start federal agency migration to full compliance with the FIPS 201 standard for smart ID cards.
The White House announced a new Physical Security Migration Integrated Project Team (IPT) in November for the purpose of speeding FIPS 201 implementation. In the process, officials selected a number of government and non-government entities to designate members to the IPT. SIA will be among those contributing committee members, along with the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) and the physical security representative from the Office of Management and Budget Executive Steering Committee.
The formation of the team was announced by its leader-designate, Ron Martin, lead security specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce. Martin said that SIA was chosen for the IPT due to a need for a credible industry voice with the ability to remain vendor-neutral.
SIA will be represented on the IPT by Director of Research and Technology Mark Visbal and Director of Standards Monica Vago. Visbal and Vago will be acting on behalf of the SIA membership and will rely heavily on member feedback.
The IPT is tasked with providing both a two- and five-year framework for agencies to effectively migrate to the full FIPS 201 end-state.
One of the team’s major challenges is to provide a detailed plan for the efficient convergence of the physical security and information technology disciplines needed to meet the mandates of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12).
The primary goal of the two-year plan will be to pursue implementation without interrupting current levels of security, while also effectively leveraging the installed base of physical access control systems. The five-year version is slated to be the comprehensive model for bringing agencies into full HSPD-12 and FIPS 201-1 compliance.
The government has recognized SIA as an industry liaison for HSPD-12 issues because of the work of SIA’s PIV Working Group over the past 18 months.
The Group informs member companies of emerging issues and technologies related to an IT-centric marketplace and the government’s Identity Management agenda. By participating in the PIV Working Group, which is chaired by Rob Zivney of Hirsch Electronics, SIA members gain new information that may further their sales efforts.