DoD readies credentialing pilot

December 12, 2003

	The Defense Department is preparing a pilot identity management system that will allow authentication of credentials across multiple agencies and vendors.

The Defense Department is preparing a pilot identity management system that will allow authentication of credentials across multiple agencies and vendors.

Several companies have partnered with the Defense Manpower Data Center to test the Defense Cross-Credentialing Identity System. DCIS would be a federated authentication system, which means each issuing authority would maintain its own database of credentials.

The Defense Department hopes the system will eliminate the need to issue Common Access Cards to defense contractors, said Robert Brandewie, deputy director of the Defense Manpower Data Center.

Five companies -- Anteon Corp., BearingPoint Inc., EDS Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp. and SRA International Inc. -- signed memorandums of understanding with the Defense Department in September to take part in the pilot. They will establish a common trust model and technical architecture that will interoperate with the department's systems.

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&#009;The Defense Department is preparing a pilot identity management system that will allow authentication of credentials across multiple agencies and vendors.

The Defense Department is preparing a pilot identity management system that will allow authentication of credentials across multiple agencies and vendors.