One of the most widespread ID developments in recent years is learning platforms. Universities around the world have developed comprehensive databases and intranet systems for the sharing of essays and assignments, distribution of grades, and private communications between teacher and student. One example of a flourishing intranet system is at the London School of Economics, where students not only gain access to an in-school network, but also materials from other colleges and universities all across Europe. These resources are wonderful for students and staff, but there are some disadvantages. Because recent developments have been focused more towards user satisfaction and not toward maximizing security, these large intranet systems are vulnerable to a number of network complications – hacking, identity theft, and the like. For IT experts at the London School of Economics, this belief was only reinforced by a recent break-in to the National Health Systems database, which compromised the information of thousands of young doctors and caused serious disruptions to the system.

Their solution? A new ID system. Currently, the LSE, like most other universities around the world, issues its students an ID card with a magnetic stripe. This type of technology is great for checking out books or purchasing meals at the school cafeteria, but it does not help protect the campus intranet and databases from unauthorized logins. The new student ID cards would use the popular “chip and pin” system common around the UK. Chip and pin cards, or smart cards, encode card data into a small chip on the card, and exchange information through a specialized reader. The new student ID cards at the London School of Economics would be used to verify entry into school based networks and databases – students and staff could only enter with the card and approved technology.
Will chip-and-pin/smart card technology become the wave of the future for student ID technology? Will magnetic stripes be a thing of the past? One thing is for sure, however, ID technology and access into these databases needs to match the security demands of IT products.