Skip to main content

Custom ID cards can help secure your organization—but these credentials also can be vulnerable to ID card attacks and forgeries. Fortunately, a security ID card can be designed with numerous features to help thwart attacks.

What are ID Card Attacks?

ID card attacks are deliberate attempts to either produce a counterfeit ID or tamper with an authentic ID. Similarly, design features also can make an ID card more secure. Holograms and other optical features are difficult to duplicate, while basic ID designs without those security features can be recreated using design software by bad actors.

ID Card Security Features

With instant ID card issuance software from Entrust, users can seamlessly integrate numerous features for a security ID card.

  • Photograph: An ID card with a photograph makes it quick and easy to verify a cardholder’s identity.
  • Signature: Adding a signature to ID cards helps prevent forgery. Adding a signature to an ID card also streamlines verification for roles where frequent physical signatures are required.
  • Color-Shifting Designs: Design features that change as an ID card is tilted or rotated are difficult to fabricate, thereby rendering the credential more secure. The Entrust luster color panel ribbon allows users to print translucent, color-shifting designs using their Sigma ID card printers — without additional processes.
  • Data Encoding: Data encoding allows pertinent information — such as ID numbers, additional photos, biometric data, etc. — to be stored and accessible in a tamper-resistant way. Data encoding is most commonly executed via a magnetic strip embedded in the ID card.
  • Smart Cards: Smart cards from Entrust feature the industry-leading Entrust FIPS 201-compliant card. The latest chip technology saves minutes on card issuance and allows for authentication and sign operations on tablets to be well under a second, providing a quick tap-and-sign experience.
  • Tactile Impressor: Emboss a design into ID cards that can be both seen and felt. The tactile element can be a logo, seal, or design that is easy to identify if someone attempts to tamper with it.

How Smart Cards Can Enhance Physical Security

Smart cards contain a microprocessor or memory chip. When coupled with a smart card reader, they have the processing power to convey information. And when used for organization ID cards, smart cards can enable access to digital information—not just physical space.

ID Card Security for Hybrid Workplaces

The workplace as we know it is changing—and ID card security solutions need to change with it. With hoteling and hot-desking quickly becoming the new normal, your organization needs an ID card security policy that works with this flexible work model.

A successful hybrid workplace ID card strategy includes:

  • Clear photos for employees who may not know or recognize each other.
  • Identification by role using a combination of text, color, and pattern to meet ADA compliance.
  • Flexible access control as employees need access to different spaces based on team, need, headcount, or other factors.
  • Simplified visitor management for quick, streamlined issuance of visitor ID cards.

Best Practices for ID Card Security

An effective ID card security plan starts with thoughtful consideration of the factors that influence physical security for your organization.

  • Consider what you’re trying to protect. Security needs typically fall under the 4 Ps: people, products, processes, and property. How will identity and access control via ID cards enhance security efforts?
  • Reduce friction for end-users. Employees and visitors will find less-secure workarounds if your organization’s ID cards are difficult to obtain or use. Reduce friction to increase compliance—and security.
  • Infuse organization branding into your ID card design. ID cards aren’t just functional; they also can be works of art. Background designs can have additional visual features like watermarks and holograms to increase security.

Choosing Software for ID Card Security

Creating secure ID cards requires a software platform. While traditional software has been the go-to, today card issuers can choose software as a service model. Traditional software integrates with databases for easy card design, issuance, and management. It can be installed on a single workstation or user or deployed to multiple workstations for enterprise-wide functionality. Everything from based photo ID cards to high-assurance credentials can be created, issued, and managed with traditional software. The functionality that software brings is anytime, anywhere ID card issuance and easy to use, drag-and-drop workflows and templates. This software is highly configurable, allowing the ID card issuers to create custom designs and workflows as well as unique user profiles. Modular solutions also can be added to provide new technologies.

In contrast, ID card issuance software-as-service is the next generation model for ID card issuance. You can issue physical ID cards and a digital ID simultaneously. It provides a dashboard to view printer status, check cleaning status, order supplies, update firmware, or reach out for help—all from a mobile device. The software-as-a-service also permits easy drag-and-drop design through a browser-based interface and creates an efficient workflow that streamlines printing without extra data-entry steps.

The Importance of Supplies for ID Card Printing

While high security is top of mind when issuing ID cards, you also want them to reflect your organization’s brand with consistent printing, brilliant image quality, and exceptional performance. This all comes down to choosing the right supplies for your ID card program. With the right ID card printer supplies, your ID card program will feature superior performance, improved productivity, increased efficiency, beautiful personalization, durable security, and extended life.

Choose systems and supplies that adjust to deliver exceptional printer performance and output quality. Look for a system that has a “low supply” alert so you can know when supplies need replenishing and can avoid downtime. The system also should verify that the right amount of supplies has been loaded to avoid interruptions. Your ID card printer also should output stunning images, graphics, and security features that are consistent, crisp, and clear. In addition, the system should extend the life of your ID cards by resisting wear and tear and advance counterfeiting attempts.