Italy Issues National ID Cards that Use Biometrics

The government of Italy has ordered a supply of optical memory card Crypto 1 encoders from LaserCard Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of Drexler Technology Corporation for the country's new national ID cards. The encoders will be configured into a card initialization and authorization system capable of encoding up to 40,000 cards per day.

The systems were developed by German smart IC card manufacturer Muhlbauer A.G., and support the government's plan of issuing optical CIE cards to all Italian citizens over a six-year period. The cards are initialized, which links the serial number from the optical media and the IC chip together as a digitally signed card serial number, which is written into both the optical and IC media.

After cards have been shipped, personal and biometric data will be stored in the optical media stripe using LaserCard read/write drives.

The order was placed by LC Sistemia, S.p.A. of Rome, a value-added reseller of Drexler optical memory card products throughout Italy.

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