what is a cac card

A Common Access Card (CAC) is a smart card issued by the United States Department of Defense for accessing DOD systems and facilities. It is a standard identification for active-duty military personnel, Selected Reserve personnel, DOD civilian employees, and eligible contractor personnel. The CAC is roughly the size of a standard debit or credit card and has an embedded microchip that enables the encryption and cryptographic signing of email, as well as use of public key infrastructure (PKI) authentication tools. The card also specifies additional details about the cardholder, such as rank, pay grade, and blood type. The CAC is designed to provide two-factor authentication: what you have (the physical card) and what you know (the PIN). The CAC technology allows for rapid authentication and enhanced physical and logical security. The card can be used for access into computers and networks equipped with one or more of a variety of smartcard readers. Once inserted into the reader, the device asks the user for a PIN. Once the PIN is entered, the PIN is matched with the stored PIN on the CAC. If successful, the EDIPI number is read off the ID certificate on the card, and then sent to a processing system where the EDIPI number is matched with an access control system, such as Active Directory or LDAP.