The Hong Kong Smart Identity Card System has won the Gold Award of the Application Category of 6th IT Excellence Awards conferred by the Hong Kong Computer Society.

The Director of Immigration Lai Tung-kwok received the award yesterday on behalf of the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

Mr Lai said the Smart Identity Card System is a complicated system with state-of-the-art technology.

"The ID card with multiple applications is not only an identification document but lays a solid foundation for e-applications and e-commerce. Hong Kong people enjoy a wide range of new services including the automated clearance system to be implemented at control points by the end of this year," he said.

SMARTICS comprises a number of sub-systems integrated seamlessly to support application processing and personalisation of the secure smart identity cards.

Application processing can be completed in 15 to 30 minutes and is supported by the Registration of Persons sub-system.

It employs advanced technologies to provide one-stop services to applicants in a paperless environment.

Personalisation of the smart identity card is performed by the fully automated laser-engraving machines driven by the Card Personalisation and Management sub-system.

This sub-system also serves to ensure loading of information onto the chip from various sources in a most secure manner.

Protected by sophisticated cryptography techniques, data and information in the chip cannot be altered or accessed by unauthorised parties.

Smart ID system includes more than 20 security features

The chip and its operating system have attained the highest standard, ITSEC E6, by the Information Technology Security Evaluation & Certification Scheme in Europe.

The panel of judges commented that SMARTICS is comprehensive and included more than 20 innovative security features.

It was impressive in its ability to smoothly integrate registration and backend operations - a world first for complexity, innovation and transaction volumes, they said.