It took only 15 years for agencies to finally begin to realize the value of using smart identity cards beyond the basic logging onto the network and as a flash pass for physical security barriers.

The coronavirus pandemic became that “killer app” that had been missing for much of the last decade-plus. Agencies realized they could turn on capabilities like digital signatures, secured by the common access card (CAC) in the Department of Defense (DoD) or the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card in the civilian environment.

In this exclusive executive briefing, the following experts explain that while agencies adapted to renewing or extending smart card authorizations, the pandemic made clear that other form factors must play a larger role in the months and years ahead, especially as agencies move toward a zero trust architecture:

• Shane Barney, Chief Information Security Officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Robert Carey, Vice President & General Manager, Global Public Sector Solutions, RSA
• Ross Foard, ICAM Subject Matter Expert, CDM, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
• William Graves, Chief Engineer, PM DoD Biometrics, U.S. Army
• Patricia Janssen, Director, Cybersecurity Architecture & Capability Oversight, Office of the Deputy CIO for Cybersecurity, Department of Defense
• Phil Lam, Executive Director of Identity, Technology Transformation Services, General Services Administration
• Steve Schmalz, Field Chief Technology Officer, Federal Group, RSA
• David Temoshok, Senior Policy Advisor, Applied Cybersecurity, National Institute of Standards and Technology