Hirsch VP to US Congressmen: ``The World is Watching''

2008-04-18 23:01:29 -

www.HirschElectronics.com - Hirsch Electronics Scott Howell, 949-250-8888 ext. 130 marketing@hirschelectronics.com or Security Industry Association Peggy O'Connor, 703-647-8485 poconnor@siaonline.org Rob Zivney, vice president of marketing for Hirsch Electronics, a leading manufacturer of access control and security management solutions, provided testimony representing the Security Industry Association (SIA) at a congressional subcommittee hearing regarding the implementation progress of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12). HSPD-12 requires all federal employees and contractors to undergo background checks and to use a standardized identification card for access to federal facilities and computer systems.

Mr. Zivney told the congressmen the Security Industry Association embraces HSPD-12 and welcomes the new technologies and infrastructures introduced by FIPS 201. Excerpts from the written and verbal testimony follow:

-- "...SIA members strongly support the goals of HSPD-12."

-- "HSPD-12...forms a far stronger foundation for our federal government agencies' security than we have ever witnessed in the past. ...(T)he use of an identity credential coupled with the use of fingerprints for authentication of the bearer and the use of digital certificates and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), promises to revolutionize government, significantly increase security, and conserve taxpayer dollars."

-- "Although HSPD-12 may not draw the attention of our nation's major media outlets, the world is watching. HSPD-12 is truly transformational."

-- "I am proud that our country is taking a leadership role in deploying PKI based smart cards for identity management...Other countries are modeling around what we have pioneered. Our state and local governments, vertical industries, airports, seaports, first responders, and corporate enterprises have the same need for a secure, trusted one card solution for logical and physical access. And, they are aligning with the Person Identity Verification (PIV) model that has resulted from HSPD-12."

The SIA representative also discussed some of the impediments to the program's implementation:

-- "...the scope of the investment and time required for implementation were underestimated by the government when it set goals for the deployment of HSPD-12..."

-- "In the absence of clear guidance and specifications for the systems that will use the PIV card, some manufacturers have stepped up to the challenge and absorbed substantial research and development costs to produce next generation equipment capable of utilizing the features of a PIV II credential."

-- "...the GSA Approved Product List (APL) testing program had to be created from scratch. The test specifications had to be inferred from the NIST specifications that were silent on the logical and physical access control systems that would actually use the cards and card production apparatus. This made for a very lengthy process, which was challenging for both GSA and the manufacturers submitting equipment for evaluation."

Mr. Zivney made several specific recommendations to the subcommittee concerning HSPD-12:

-- "(Availability of) operational card stock for R&D and testing remains a key priority for the electronic security industry..."

-- "We believe this subcommittee should encourage the dual listing of approved HSPD-12 products on both Schedule 70 and Schedule 84 to serve both the IT security and physical security needs of agencies."

-- "...(W)e would encourage this subcommittee to direct OMB to establish a..."physical security team" (to) regularly coordinate with the private sector toward implementation of HSPD-12 and the development of future Executive Branch policies and directives that may impact physical security at government facilities."

-- "...(W)e recommend that OMB establish a policy for implementation of physical security similar to the policy document M-05-24. We have progressed to date with an "unfunded mandate" for PIV-I and PIV-II. However, physical access control systems (PACS) are outside of that scope, and as such have neither funding nor a mandate. This requested policy must recognize that the PIV card is not compatible with most installed PACS currently in use and that the PACS will have to be, at a minimum, upgraded or, most likely, need to be replaced."

-- "Finally, we encourage you to consider SIA as a resource for the effective utilization of the PIV credential with physical access control systems. We not only have the skills and knowledge for deployment and use, but are also an ANSI standards development organization (SDO). As such we are able to produce standards for physical security systems and indeed have many such applicable standards in development now."

The hearing -- "Federal Security: ID Cards and Background Checks" -- was held before a standing-room-only crowd by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization and Procurement Oversight in conjunction with the release of a new U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the implementation progress of HSPD-12. In addition to SIA, the hearing included testimony from senior representatives of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Personal Management (OPM), GAO, General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Labor and the Security Clearance Reform Task Group.

The hearing's written testimony documents are posted at governmentmanagement.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1833.

Mr. Zivney was selected to represent SIA based on his 30-year career in security and building controls and expertise in access control and security systems. He serves on the SIA Board of Directors; Chairs SIA's Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Working Group, and represents SIA to the Smart Card Interagency Advisory Board Physical Access Committee. Further, he is active in standards activities with SIA, ASHRAE/BACnet, and OASIS/oBIX. A sought-after industry speaker, Mr. Zivney's opinions and market outlook are often quoted in the industry trade.

A high resolution photograph of Mr. Zivney available at: www.riccicom.com/broadcasts/clients/hirsch/Zivney_in_DC.jpg.

About The Security Industry Association

The Security Industry Association (SIA) is a nonprofit international trade association representing electronic and physical security product manufacturers, integrators, specifiers, and service providers. SIA advocates for and supports the industry by providing education, research, technical standards and representation and defense of its members' interests. SIA is sole sponsor of the International Security Conference and Exhibitions (ISC EXPOs). Learn more at www.siaonline.org.

About Hirsch Electronics

Hirsch Electronics manufactures physical security systems for worldwide markets. Hirsch is a recognized leader in IP-based security solutions that interoperate with other networked databases, devices and systems. Hirsch's award-winning role-based access control (RBAC), identity management, and security management systems integrate access control, digital video, alarm monitoring, smart cards and biometrics. Hirsch security system offerings include end-to-end solutions for HSPD-12, FIPS 201, TWIC and CAC. Hirsch Electronics is located at 1900-B Carnegie Avenue, Santa Ana, California, 92705, U.S.A., Phone: +1-949-250-8888, E-mail: info@hirschelectronics.com; Website: www.HirschElectronics.com.

Zivney Testifies on Behalf of the Security Industry Association
(SIA) Regarding HSPD-12 Implementation Progress