Four critical features which ID cards must provide are personal identification, card validity, cardholder authentication, and benefits security. The relatively easy acquisition of fraudulent birth certificates and driver's licenses greatly complicates or impedes the utility of 'secure' ID cards based on State-issued documents. ID cards, which are subjected to the same risks as paper currency, should be designed to resist both accidental and intentional misuse. Various techniques and products currently used to develop an identification card or system include personal identifiers, document security methods and machine-readable codes. Security techniques designed to prevent accidental and intentional misuse are described, and current technology in identification systems is evaluated. A list identifies manufacturers and the security services and products offered.