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Educating Users About Establishing Issuance Processes

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

User education is an important component of a smart card management plan. Ensure that users understand the purpose of the smart card deployment. Educate them about proper smart card handling and protection so that they can help the organization to meet its security goals. Emphasize that a smart card is a valuable resource that needs to be protected.

For example, be sure that users understand:

  • The hardware and software that they need in order to use smart cards.

  • How to install and use their smart cards and readers.

  • How they can obtain their smart cards and smart card readers.

  • What they need to do in order to configure their systems to use their smart cards.

    Note

    • Setup instructions are particularly important for traveling users, or for users who use remote access connections on their home computers.

  • What to do if a smart card is lost or stolen.

  • Who to call or contact for help and support.

In addition, provide the following guidelines to users:

  • Protect the external smart card chip. If the chip becomes damaged (scratched, dented, and so forth) the reader might not be able to read the data on the chip.

  • Do not bend the card. This can break critical internal components. It is risky, for example, to put a smart card in a back pocket, because the individual might sit on it and break its internal components.

  • Do not expose the smart card to temperature extremes. Leaving a smart card on the dashboard of a car on a hot day can melt or warp the card and harm the chip. Cold temperatures can make the smart card brittle and easier to break.

  • Keep the smart card away from magnetic sources. This includes credit cards and scanners at retail stores.

It is useful to have a printed version of this user training information available for distribution along with the smart card itself. If your organization also maintains an intranet, publish this information as an easy-to-locate Web page so that users can refer back to your instructions at a later date.