When the Egged Bus Company, the national bus
company of Israel, wanted to develop a badge that would allow company
officials, employees, and their families to ride some bus routes free of
charge, they also wanted to ensure that the badges would not be misused or
duplicated by others. Modern technology made that possible. A multifaceted
badge was developed for Egged that used a preprinted card with a proprietary color ink. A
proprietary hologram was also hot-stamped onto the card.
Finally, a high-energy magnetic stripe for personal verification was
added. After all pertinent identifying information was included in a database
and digital photos were added, the cards were printed out on mass production
printers.
As society has changed, technology has tried to keep pace with its
identification needs. Employers, service providers, public servants, and even
the comer merchant all rely on and expect proof of identification. IDs are now
a necessity for entering school, arriving at work, cashing a check, and logging
on to a computer.
Identification technology can be separated into three basic categories: what
you have, such as keys, tokens, or photo ID cards; what you know, such as your
name, password, or personal identification number (PIN); and what you are, such
as biometrics based on your physiology or behavior.
Many banks currently use two of these identification methods, usually a card
combined with a PIN, The First National Bank of South Africa uses a PIN and a voiceprint record to provide secure payments to
illiterate mine workers. A desktop computer may be set up to require only a
name and a password; however, some computers are now equipped with smart card
readers. A smart card has an embedded computer chip that contains one or
several identifying features.
Although ID technology is constantly improving, currently the ID card is the
preferred medium on which to incorporate these technologies, making it the most
popular and widespread method of identification. ID cards can come with or
without photos, bar codes, computer chips, and other identifying information
and security features. Traditional or composite systems (those produced with film
and not computer technology) are still in use and effective for some
operations, but the most current developments include digital imaging systems,
in which cards are produced using video equipment and computer software.
Traditional systems. With a composite system, a picture is taken using a
chemical-based process to develop exposed Polaroid film, which takes about a
minute. The photo is then placed on a preprinted ID card ordered from a card
manufacturer. The card can contain data such as the name of the person; his or
her title and department; an expiration date; and a corporate logo. The card
is then laminated to seal in the data.
A bar code or magnetic stripe can also be added to these basic cards by
purchasing a separate bar code labeling or magnetic stripe encoding system. In most cases, the bar code or
stripe is attached to the ID with a pressure-sensitive labeler after it has
been laminated, although some labeling packages come with the bar code already
attached to the laminating pouch. This type of card is effective if used with good record keeping
and careful monitoring. However, it is possible to forge this card with an
offset printing press and a high-quality photo.
Another traditional identification card is the temporary badge, which is most
often used by a corporation to identify guests, inspectors, or outside contractors. Typical construction
includes a "sticky-back" applied to clothing for one-time use, which
may include a time expiration feature that self-voids the badge after one day,
one week, or one month. Reusable temporary badges may be prelaminated or made
from polyvinylchloride (PVC).
"All-photo" ID cards that contain a photo, signature, and identifying
data on a single sheet of film offer more security. All-photo cameras use
validation plates with information that remains the same, such as the company
logo, as well as unique identifying information such as name, department, and
signature. When the photo is taken, the data is superimposed on the card so
that the developed film produces a card and photo together. At the same time,
the data on these cards is photographically reduced so that the finished ID is
in a nonstandard size, making it much harder to reproduce or alter without
detection. Once a card is laminated, substituting a photo or data is virtually
impossible.
If the cards can be used over time because no changes are made, then the cards
are cost-effective. But if new validation plates must be made to accommodate
frequent changes, the system can be costly. All-photo cameras are often used
for issuing driver's licenses.
Traditional technologies such as those mentioned previously are most
cost-effective for facilities with up to 1,000 employees. The cost of a
standard all-photo ID card is about $3.25 per card. The system to create the
card, which includes the camera, film, a laminator, and a dye cutter, can cost
between $1,500 and $5,000. These systems can produce a card in about ten
minutes. In most cases, the vendor designs, prints, and delivers the card
formats. The vendor can also provide preprinted cards with logos and unchanging
card elements.
If a company wants a customized card but cannot afford a proprietary, high-tech
computer software package, some vendors, such as Polaroid, sell off-the-shelf
software used to create unique card templates.
Features such as bar codes, magnetic stripe encoding, holographs, or ultraviolet (UV)
printing are available for composite cards but must be purchased and integrated
separately.
PURCHASING CONSIDERATIONS
Joel Hershkowitz is director of marketing for Idesco Corp.
COPYRIGHT 1997 American Society for Industrial Security. No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder. Copyright 1997 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.