HP aims to help governments check IDs
Published: May 26, 2005, 4:16 PM PDT
By Alorie Gilbert
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Hewlett-Packard plans to launch a product on Friday that helps
governments check the digital identity of citizens.

The technology, called the HP National Identity System, is designed to
be used in conjunction with a number of Microsoft products, including
its .Net line of server, database and middleware programs. The
companies plan to jointly develop, market and offer training for the
authentication system.

The product can be used to authenticate visitors to government Web
sites, to control access to services and manage citizens' online
identity, HP said. 

In addition, the new product includes technology to make ID documents--
such as passports, driver's licenses and identity cards--more secure
and "intelligent," the company said. The technology can fulfill new
secure ID requirements designed to heighten security at national
borders, the company said.

The National Identity System can handle numerous tasks, including
online and offline identity verification, live capture of demographic
and biometric data, and secure access to documents. It's also
compatible with various biometric identification systems and
incorporates public key infrastructure and digital signatures, the
company said.

The governments of Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria have already
begun to use the tools, HP said. 

                            -==-

Source: C|Net News - http://news.com.com/2100-7348-5722206.html


Cheers, Steve..

---