Entrust announces HSPD-12 solutions to help federal agencies address new requirements

01 November, 2005

Entrust, a Dallas, Texas-based digital security company, is attempting to help agencies comply with HSPD-12 requirements through a seminar that attracted 70 participants and a white paper designed to guide agency CIO’s through the HSPD-12 maze. Entrust believes it has a couple solutions to help companies/agencies comply with the presidential directive.

DALLAS – Entrust, Inc., a world leader in securing digital identities and information, has announced solutions for Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12). Entrust’s broad and flexible set of solutions, combined with its highly experienced Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI) deployment and integration team, can help agencies to address HSPD-12 requirements, whether they are new to digital certificates or if they have already established identity credential programs.

Demonstrating its commitment to helping federal government agencies execute on the new homeland security directive, Entrust hosted a customer seminar aimed at helping agencies understand HSPD-12 requirements with over 70 attendees. Entrust also recently released a detailed white paper that can help guide agency CIOs through HSPD-12 implementation. The white paper is available online at: www.entrust.com/e_government/hspd12.htm.

“Entrust is committed to helping federal agencies reduce the costs, time and complexities of implementing HSPD-12,” said Peter Bello, Vice President at Entrust. “We have shown through our strong track record with the federal government that we understand the challenges faced by our federal government customers, and we are once again helping government address those challenges. This was clearly demonstrated by the strong participation in the recent Entrust-hosted HSPD-12 seminar.”

HSPD-12 was issued by President Bush on August 27, 2004, and is intended to strengthen executive branch security by standardizing employee and contractor access to federal facilities and information systems.

Agencies have been working toward the October 27, 2005 deadline for first- phase implementation of HSPD-12, which involves establishing processes for identity proofing, registration and credential issuance. By the second-phase HSPD-12 deadline of October 27, 2006, agencies will be expected to issue smart cards to employees and contractors. Each card is to contain a user’s credentials as well a PKI digital certificate for authentication.

Entrust, a global leader in PKI, has a strong track record in the US federal government market, including longstanding relationships with the majority of departments already gaining the security benefits of PKI. Current customers include the Departments of State, Treasury, Energy, and Justice as well as NASA, the Government Printing Office, US Patent and Trademark Office and the FBI.

Entrust is offering two solution options for HSPD-12:

Entrust’s current federal government customers can leverage their Entrust PKI investment to address HSPD-12 requirements, helping to save time and money.
Federal agencies without an existing PKI can purchase certificates and services through Entrust’s private-public collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture’s National Finance Center (NFC). NFC was certified as a Shared Service Provider in August 2004. As a government agency, NFC can help enable fellow agencies to maintain control of their employee data without using parties outside the government. NFC’s Certificate Authority is also cross-certified with the Federal Bridge Certification Authority (FBCA), so digital certificates issued through NFC can be used seamlessly for secure data exchange and authentication across multiple federal agencies.

The FBCA helps facilitate and simplify secure information exchange by enabling cross-certified agencies’ PKIs to recognize and trust digital signatures and certificates sent from and between other participating government organizations. Agencies that are cross-certified with the FBCA by December 31, 2005 will be able to issue HSPD-12 compliant certificates using their current Entrust certification authorities. Entrust’s technology serves as the foundation of the FBCA, and Entrust serves as a technology provider to eight of the nine government entities certified by the FBCA.

Entrust also has longstanding relationships with major smart card and card management systems vendors that government agencies may choose for the physical smart card used to meet HSPD-12 requirements. Many of these vendors have smart card products that are certified as Entrust Ready, meaning that they have been tested for interoperability with Entrust solutions.

About Entrust
Entrust, Inc. is a world leader in securing digital identities and information. Over 1,400 enterprises and government agencies in more than 50 countries use Entrust solutions to help secure the digital lives of their citizens, customers, employees and partners. Our proven software and services can help customers in achieving regulatory and corporate compliance, while helping to turn security challenges such as identity theft and e-mail security into business opportunities. For more information on how Entrust can help secure your digital life, please visit: www.entrust.com.

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