Washington, D.C.—
When:
ITAA RFID Forum
Tuesday, June 15, 2004 (8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
BSA CEO Forum Policy Roundtable
Wednesday, June 16, 2004 (10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Where:
ITAA RFID Forum
J.W. Marriott Hotel, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C.
BSA CEO Forum Policy Roundtable Capitol Hill Room, Washington D.C.
What:
ITAA RFID Forum
The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) has invited Art Coviello, president and CEO of RSA Security, to deliver the opening keynote address on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) business and policy considerations at the upcoming ITAA RFID Forum in Washington, D.C. In addition, Dr. Burt Kaliski, chief scientist and director of RSA Laboratories, the research center of RSA Security, will take part in a panel discussion that will discuss the privacy, security and regulatory challenges associated with RFID technology. The three-quarter-day forum will delve into RFID issues, focusing on commercial, policy and government arenas, and will highlight the factors that drive customers, build partnerships, establish business relationships and enable growth in RFID. For more information on the ITAA RFID Forum, please visit:http://www.itaa.org/software/events/event.cfm?EventID=1055
BSA CEO Forum Policy Roundtable
Art Coviello will also participate in a Business Software Association (BSA) CEO Forum Policy Roundtable on Capitol Hill. The BSA will host an on-the-record discussion among 13 BSA member CEOs and key U.S. Senators about the release of a new CEO initiative on education and workforce development; innovation; trade; intellectual property; and security. Moderated by nationally syndicated columnist and American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Fellow James K. Glassman, the discussion will focus on IT’s impact on culture and global commerce, and the roles and responsibilities of corporate leaders and policymakers. For more information on the BSA, please visit www.bsa.org.
Background on RFID Security and Policy
RFID technology holds great promise for improving business efficiency and customer service, as well as many other applications in the defense, healthcare and other industries. While privacy issues have received much attention and focus, the technology exists today to enable RFID technology to move forward without necessarily compromising personal information. While the threat to privacy should not be underestimated, the lack of security on RFID tags is potentially a far greater problem, especially within the context of industrial espionage and national security issues.
Legislation introduced earlier this year in States such as California proposed the “killing” of RFID tags in an effort to address privacy concerns. Unfortunately, this method doesn’t take into account the benefits RFID tags may ultimately have for consumers or that new technologies will arise to shift the balance of privacy and utility in the RFID arena. With this in mind, the federal government should establish goals for protection of consumer privacy rather than legislation that could impede technological growth.
RSA Security has developed technologies to address the emerging security and privacy challenges of RFID. The patent-pending RSA® Blocker Tag is designed to enforce consumer privacy while allowing consumers and businesses to reap the full benefits of RFID technology. The RSA Blocker Tag is a special RFID tag designed to prevent readers from performing unwanted scanning and tracking of people or goods, without any disruption to normal RFID operation. For more information on the RSA Blocker Tag, please visit http://www.rsasecurity.com/press_release.asp?doc_id=3376.
About RSA Security Inc.
RSA Security Inc. helps organizations protect private information and manage the identities of people and applications accessing and exchanging that information. RSA Security’s portfolio of solutions — including identity & access management, secure mobile & remote access, secure enterprise access and secure transactions — are all designed to provide the most seamless e security experience in the market. Our strong reputation is built on our history of ingenuity, leadership, proven technologies and our more than 14,000 customers around the globe. Together with more than 1,000 technology and integration partners, RSA Security inspires confidence in everyone to experience the power and promise of the Internet. For more information, please visit www.rsasecurity.com.
