HID Global announced a new standards-based identity and access management (IAM) solution for government agencies to more easily comply with the mandate to improve physical access and digital identity security. At the heart of this IAM solution is the new HID Crescendo Temporary Access Card, which gives visitors a more secure credential to enter government buildings. 

HID developed this temporary access card to provide a visitor credential that has the same level of security as the standard government-issued PIV and PIV-I cards used by all U.S. government employees. The new HID Crescendo Temporary Access Card creates a PIV-like access experience for people who, unlike a full-time government employee, only need temporary access. 

Because visitors to U.S. government agency buildings are not eligible to receive a government-issued PIV card for access, government agencies have been using traditional physical access technology for visitor IDs, thereby creating an unnecessarily higher risk of intruders trying to gain entry, likely from badges being cloned. 

A call within the U.S. federal government to start moving away from traditional visitor management based on proximity-based technology cards has intensified with rising concerns about potential vulnerabilities to government buildings. This follows the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) mandate through OMB M11-11 for U.S. federal government agencies to move to PIV cards for access to facilities. 

“The U.S. government has recognized the need to make sure that visitors to government agency buildings are using the most secure credentials available and can be trusted,” said Brad Jarvis, vice president and managing director of the Identity & Access Management Solutions (IAMS) business within HID Global.

The HID Crescendo Temporary Access Card is based on public key infrastructure (PKI) technology, which means a digital certificate is embedded on each visitor ID access card, providing an extra layer of trust that the card holder is authorized to access a building. 

Federal government building managers are moving to “PKI-at-the-door” based on mandates to discontinue using traditional physical access credentials. The HID Crescendo Temporary Access Card uses HID’s advanced credential management, which is particularly beneficial for government agencies that do not have their own credential management system. The solution can be deployed seamlessly onto FIPS 201-compliant physical access systems at any government building and does not require the installation of complex software. 

Visit https://www.hidglobal.com/products/cards-and-credentials/crescendo/crescendo-tac for more information.