The card and the PIN form the required two factors for authentication. Using the private key on the CAC requires the user to be in possession of the card, and aware of the PIN or passphrase that protects the key. The certificate is presented to the server, while the private key remains on the card (and only on the card). The access to computers, online systems and networks is based on a PKI certificate and an associated private key that are stored on the chip of the CAC card. Common Access Card also works as the principal token for physical access to buildings and it provides access to DoD computer networks and systems. CAC is a smartcard that functions as the standard identification for active duty uniformed service personnel, selected reserve personnel, civilian employees of DoD, and some contractors that work for DoD.

The DoD Common Access Card is an identification card that is issued to the personnel of US Department of Defense. PIV card ( Personal Identity Verification Card)Ĭontents CAC Card with Tectia SSH =grid2 PIV Card with Tectia SSH =cell CAC Card with Tectia SSH =grid2 In the governmental context commonly used security tokens are: In high-security environments the use of certificates is often combined with the use of hardware security tokens such as smartcards or USB tokens.Ĭombining hardware tokens or smartcards with certificate authentication provides the advantage that the private key of an entity cannot be stolen by malware that collects SSH keys. Stealing a user's private key allows an attacker to impersonate that user, which may lead to serious security breaches. While PKI and certificates offer a strong, scalable, and centrally managed authentication of users and servers, they are still vulnerable to attacks on the private keys of the end-entities. In the context of the ubiquitous SSH protocol this often means the use of certificate authentication. Their security policies require encrypted and strongly authenticated access methods to be used with high-value assets. Government organizations operate under strict information security guidelines.

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