FIPS 201 PIV – now supported by BALTECH readers

24 Oct 2024

follow us on linkedin  sign up for our  newsletter
Good news for organizations requiring FIPS 201 PIV compliance: BALTECH readers now support this important security standard. If you’re working with U.S. government agencies or their contractors, this update is particularly relevant for your projects.

What is FIPS 201 PIV?

FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) represents a comprehensive set of security standards that ensure robust data protection. These standards, published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), are mandatory for all civilian government organizations in the United States and their contract suppliers.
FIPS 201 PIV specifically focuses on Personal Identity Verification, defining mechanisms for authenticating a cardholder as a step before checking the actual authorizations of the card.

Straightforward reader setup

FIPS 201 PIV mechanisms implemented in BALTECH readers are based on asymmetric encryption[RH1] [BS2] . Each user’s private key needs to be encoded onto their card. On the reader side, you only need to enter the project’s public key in the configuration.

Easy integration in existing infrastructures

Upon successful authentication, the reader forwards the card’s ID to your existing host system – be it an access control system, embedded PC or a multi-functional printer (MFP).

Contact us for your custom firmware

To support FIPS 201 PIV, you’ll currently need custom reader firmware. We’re happy to create this for you on request, also at short notice, and support you with any questions coming up.

Baltech newsletter