EyeLock Adds Support for Federal PIV Credential

EyeLock is looking to gain favor with the US Federal Government after revealing that its EyeLock Identity Suite (EIS) software solution now offers support for one of the government’s preferred Personal Identity Verification (PIV) credential formats. The government uses the credential for physical access control at federal facilities, and for digital access control to make sure that sensitive information stays secure.

The update will allow federal agencies to incorporate the EyeLock Identity Suite into their security setups. The PIV card credential leverages traditional security measures like certificates, key pairs, and PIN codes, and deploys them in conjunction with biometrics to deliver strong multi-factor authentication in a single credential package. EyeLock is an iris recognition specialist, so the EIS will enable iris-based authentication in government applications.

EyeLock has been working on the update since August, after the Federal Government asked the company to embed its PIV format into its own EIS. The PIV credential can store more than 200 bits of data, making it far more robust than conventional access cards that top out somewhere between 26 and 40 bits. The government-issued PIV also has anti-tampering features like holographic images and laser etching to prevent counterfeiting.

“With our support of the U.S. Federal Government’s standard PIV card format, we now have the right platform and tools in place to meet Federal Government requirements,” said EyeLock CEO Jeff Carter. “More agencies have expressed interest as well, and we are focused on expanding our business within this channel.”

EyeLock has spent the past few months working to adapt to a COVID-19 environment. The company recently released a new EyeLock ID solution that enables iris recognition for remote workers, and also released a temperature detection add-on for its nano iXT iris scanner. The latter allows venues to bar access to anyone running a fever, which helps reduce the risk of viral transmission. The nano iXT was built in collaboration with CMITech.

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November 3, 2020 – by Eric Weiss