HID Global, a provider of trusted identity solutions, announced one of the world’s most secure citizen ID cards, featuring technologies that have been proven in its customers’ award-winning national passport and other government ID programmes, such as the Irish Passport Card. Extending the benefits of its widely issued Optical Secure Media (OSM) card, the company has created an OSM Multitech card that is one of the most secure citizen ID cards on the market.
Secure citizen identification
“Our OSM cards have set the standard for combining visual, digital and physical security while delivering the highest levels of card durability,” said Rob Haslam, VP and Managing Director, Government ID Solutions with HID Global. “There has been no known instance of a successful attempt to compromise OSM technology’s digital security, and now we’re helping to fuel the future of even more secure citizen identification by including a contactless RFID microcontroller chip into these proven OSM cards.”
To maximise the security of HID Global’s OSM Multitech card, issuers can laser-engrave information on its front side, engrave and encode identity information in the OSM stripe on the card’s back side, and encode identity information on the microcontroller chip inside the card. Integrating the RFID chip into a standard-sized OSM card is a major milestone that was made possible with HID Global’s ultra-thin PC ePre-laminate product, which minimises the footprint of the RFID chip and antenna using the company’s DBond technology. Unique anti-crack technology also extends the durability of the card, which is initially available with an NXP P60D080 RFID chip. The company plans to offer additional RFID chip options in the future.
Secure laser personalisation
HID Global’s OSM Multitech cards can be used for applications ranging from national and resident alien IDs to health benefit, public welfare, and social security cards, as well as driver’s licences, gun permits and a wide range of other identification cards. The cards are the cornerstone of a complete, end-to-end government ID solution offered by HID Global, including its highly secure laser personalisation equipment, software solutions, security printing plus software and professional services and training.
The new Multitech card’s OSM, DBond and other technologies have been proven in numerous high-profile national ID programs, including the award-winning Irish Passport Card, as well as programmes in Saudi Arabia, Angola, and the U.S. The Irish Passport Card is the first and only passport card deployed in Europe for border crossing and has been recognised for its innovative design.