SOLUTIONS

Government Access Control Solutions

Wherever you are in the world, HID’s access control solutions can help your government comply with the highest security regulations to protect your government facilities, civil servants, public sector employees and citizens.

Secure Your Government Facilities With Advanced, Standards-Compliant Technology

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HID® is an expert in government security and access control, from PIV and FICAM to GovPass and NIS2, relied upon by distinguished institutions and agencies across the globe. 

Explore how we can help your government facility security systems meet the strictest protocols and standards — without having to replace all of your legacy hardware at once. 

UK GovPass-Ready Readers

HID Signo™ GovPass readers are designed to meet and exceed the requirements of the UK’s GovPass standard through rigorously tested performance, best-in-class encryption and secure key storage. Accommodating over 15 credential formats, these multifunctional readers ensure operational continuity during phased rollouts.

See how HID is helping UK government entities make a smooth transition to GovPass
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PIV-Enabled Readers for US Government Facilities

HID’s PIV-enabled readers support FIPS 201, PKI-based cards and legacy card types (including PIV, PIV-I, CIV, CAC, TWIC, iCLASS®, HID Prox® and more). 

Together with the pivCLASS® Authentication Module, any required authentication mode (such as CHUID, CAK, PIV+PIN, BIO, CHUID+BIO, CAK+BIO) can be executed to meet any security assurance level for government offices, municipalities and cities.

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Explore Signo PIV readers
pivclass readers
Explore pivCLASS readers

pivCLASS Authentication Module

pivclass authentication module

pivCLASS Authentication Modules (PAMs) are embedded computers packaged in a small form factor with pre-loaded, updatable firmware that are installed between the readers and existing PACS panel. PAMs do the “heavy lifting” of PIV cardholder credential validation as cards are presented to readers.

Learn more about the pivCLASS Authentication Module
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Is Your Physical Access Control System Ready for NIS2?

Get key facts — in plain English — on how to meet the EU Network and Information Security 2 (NIS2) Directive’s access control requirements.

Read the eBook
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Affordable, Interoperable PIV Solutions

HID’s pivCLASS® modular solutions make it easy for U.S government agencies, contractors and ports to use Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards for physical access control — for any assurance level.

Read the brochure

Explore HID’s Access Control Suite for Government

pivCLASS® readers

Government-Compliant Readers

Readers supporting PIV credentials, PKI authentication and the GovPass standard
pivCLASS® software

HID pivCLASS
Software

Seamlessly manage, validate and revoke PIV credentials
pivCLASS® Authentication Module

pivCLASS Authentication Module

FIPS 201-compliant, strong authentication for physical access

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My government facility already uses FICAM-compliant PIV credentials. Does that mean our physical access control system is also compliant?

Not necessarily. PIV cards are just one component of a fully FICAM-compliant physical access system. The technical guidelines provided by the Federal Information Processing Standard Publication 201 (FIPS 201) for deploying FICAM-compliant systems include protocols for the many software and hardware components that, together, work to lock and unlock access points (including head-end software, controllers, databases, readers and more).

Fortunately, the US Government maintains a list of FIP 201 approved products at IDManagement.gov, which can be used to assess if your facility's existing or potential components are truly FIPS 201 compliant.

2. What’s the difference between “FICAM-capable” and “FICAM-ready” readers?

Systems that are "FICAM capable" or "FICAM ready" are theoretically capable of meeting the specs required by FICAM guidelines. Generally, FICAM-ready readers are ready to go, right out of the box, whereas FICAM-capable readers require additional configuration. 

ICAM-compliant systems have undergone rigorous testing and certification to ensure they meet all requirements, which is not the case for FICAM-capable and FICAM-ready products. The FICAM certification process offers irrefutable proof from a trusted third party that the components of your PACS solutions will do what they claim to do. Visit IDManagement.gov for the current list of FICAM approved products.

3. What’s the difference between the PIV Authentication (PIV-AUTH) mechanism and the PIV Card Authentication (PIV-CAK) mechanism?

The key difference between these is the security level and verification required. PIV-CAK is used for lower security physical access control, where no PIN is required. PIV-AUTH requires a PIN and is used for logical access (e.g., computers and networks) and higher-security physical access situations.

4. For HID PIV readers, should I use transparent mode or extended packet mode?

HID access control readers use two primary communication protocols for transmitting data between the reader and the panel: Transparent Mode and Extended Packet Mode. The choice between modes typically depends on system requirements and compatibility with existing access control infrastructure. 

Transparent Mode:

  • Directly passes card data without modification
  • Preserves original card data format and structure
  • Helps maintain compatibility with existing systems

Extended Packet Mode:

  • Adds additional data fields and formatting
  • Includes checksums, facility codes and other metadata
  • Provides enhanced security and validation capabilities
  • Allows for custom data formatting and processing

Please get in touch for more information.

5. How can I make sure my organization’s physical access control system is ready for Europe’s NIS2?

The European Union’s Network and Information Security 2 (NIS2) directive requires higher security and reporting obligations than the original 2016 NIS Directive, along with higher fines and a widened set of affected industries, including energy, transport, finance, healthcare, utilities, digital infrastructure and public administration. 

We’ve recently published an eBook covering essential, actionable information to get your organization ready for NIS2, including specific recommendations for readers, credentials, controllers and access control servers/clients.

6. What is GovPass? And can you help my UK government facility comply with it?

GovPass is the latest development in unified UK government access control, employing high-level encryption and centralized card production. The GovPass program aims to simplify secure access across government sites by enabling consistent quality, local authorization management and robust encryption.

Learn more about HID's GovPass-compliant line of readers or find the most painless path to compliance for your facility in our eBook.

Need Help Getting Started?

Our experts are here to help your organization figure out your first move.

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