Global Smart Card Market in the Government Sector 2014-2018

Monday 12 May 2014, Amsterdam

The new report recognizes the following companies as the key players in Global Smart Card Market in the Government Sector: Gemalto NV, Giesecke & Devrient GmbH, Oberthur Technologies, Morpho SA, DataCard Corp., Eastcompeace Technology Co. Ltd., IRIS Corp. Bhd, Muehlbauer AG

Commenting on the report, an analyst said: “Third-generation e-passports have advanced security features and are being adopted by many countries. To enhance the security features of e-passports, in 2011 the ICAO introduced the SAC protocol, which includes additional security features such as asymmetric cryptography and a pair of keys to encrypt and decrypt public and private messages securely. SAC is based on PACE v2 which ensures enhanced data confidentiality. Another feature is the CAN, which can read data easily with a six-digit access number, is cost effective, and an alternative to MRZ readers. The EU and ICAO have made it mandatory to implement SAC in every e-passport by December 2014. Although it is a challenge for vendors to implement SAC features in a short period, once implemented it will improve e-passport security.”

According to the report, one of the major drivers is the increased use of smart card programs in developing countries to keep pace with technological advancements.

Further, the report states that high initial deployment and replacement costs for smart cards result in higher budgetary allocation and expenditure for governments.