As communications and information sharing technologies advance, the public safety community faces an increasing amount of Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) challenges. Recognizing the importance of ICAM solutions in emergency response, SAFECOM and NCSWIC established a joint working group to provide the public safety community with leadership, education, and guidance on ICAM. The ICAM Working Group populates this section of the SAFECOM website with working group products and additional ICAM resources.
Introduction to ICAM
Public safety requires innovative techniques to manage information sharing risks between operational partners. ICAM is an important cybersecurity domain that allows agencies to securely access resources across existing systems and emerging platforms. With ICAM, agencies can ensure that the right person with the right privileges can access the right information at the right time. These resources introduce ICAM and its value to public safety:
- ICAM 101 Briefing for Public Safety Officials (.pdf, 762.78 KB) (2017) (*)
The briefing is a two-page high-level ICAM overview for public safety officials and decision-makers. - ICAM Pilot for Public Safety Fact Sheet (.pdf, 382.18 KB) (2020) (*)
An overview of ICAM and high-level findings from two ICAM pilot demonstrations held in 2019. This document intends to educate program managers, public safety officials, technologists, and others interested in federated ICAM and its potential application to public safety users. - ICAM Reference Guide (.pdf, 504.82 KB) (2017) (*)
The ICAM Reference Guide is a collection of resources and information on core principles and critical components related to ICAM, the Trustmark Framework, and other federal and government sponsored ICAM initiatives. The Reference Guide will be updated periodically with pertinent information, resources, and emerging ICAM trends.
(*) Denotes Archived Material: In an effort to keep CISA.gov current, the archive contains information that may not reflect current policy or programs.
Highlighted Resources
ICAM Value Proposition Suite
This suite of five (5) documents introduces ICAM concepts, explores federated ICAM use-cases, and highlights their potential benefits for the public safety community.
ICAM Value Proposition Overview
This document provides a high-level summary of federated ICAM benefits and introduces domain-specific scenarios covered by other documents in the suite.
- ICAM Value Proposition Scenario: Hurricane Response
This document presents federated ICAM use cases and potential benefits for disaster response operations such as hurricanes. DOWNLOAD (.PDF, 505.1 KB) - ICAM Value Proposition Scenario: Drug Response
This document outlines federated ICAM use cases and information sharing benefits for large-scale drug overdose epidemic (e.g., opioid, methamphetamine, and cocaine) prevention and response.
DOWNLOAD (.PDF, 505.1 KB) - ICAM Value Proposition Scenario: School Shooting Response
This document provides federated ICAM use cases and information sharing benefits for an active shooter scenario (e.g., school shooting).
DOWNLOAD (.PDF, 491.44 KB) - ICAM Value Proposition Scenario: Bombing Response
This document illustrates information sharing benefits observed from the March 2018 Austin serial bombings.
DOWNLOAD (.PDF, 441.91 KB)
Trustmark Framework
The Trustmark Framework is a means to achieve interoperability between various identity federations without requiring explicit, written bilateral agreements. Currently in use by several law enforcement organizations, the Trustmark Framework establishes a mechanism for codifying and reusing components of different ICAM solutions in an attempt to achieve greater adaptability, interoperability, and cost savings.
Endorsing the Trustmark Framework Position Paper (.pdf, 706.04 KB) (*)
This paper encourages the public safety community to leverage and adopt the Trustmark Framework in effort to achieve a federated ICAM solution.
Trustmark Framework for Public Safety Tri-fold Brochure
The brochure provides background and supplemental information on the Trustmark Framework.
- Trustmark Framework for Public Safety Tri-fold Brochure
- Print Version (.pdf, 800.55 KB) (2017) (*)
- Web Version (.pdf, 800.55 KB) (2017) (*)
(*) Denotes Archived Material: In an effort to keep CISA.gov current, the archive contains information that may not reflect current policy or programs.
Additional Resources
- 2014 National ICAM Strategy Summit: After Action Report (.pdf, 5.34 MB) (*)
This report provides foundational information on ICAM, captures key takeaways from the 2014 National ICAM Summit, as well as identifies key principles and recommended actions for developing a federated national ICAM strategy for public safety. - Federated ICAM Introduces New Capabilities for First Responders (*)
SIGNAL Magazine article on the Trustmark Framework ICAM pilots held in Tennessee and Texas. - Global Federated Identity and Privilege Management (GFIPM) National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) Trustmark Pilot (*)
GTRI maintains a website with general information, technical specifications, and artifacts for the Trustmark Framework. - ISE ICAM Mission and Vision (*)
Overview of ISE's mission success stories. - List of Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM)'s “Adopted Trust Framework Providers” (*)
The Trust Framework Solutions (TFS) program assesses the Trust Frameworks of commercial and non-profit organizations to determine if the polices, processes and technologies are comparable to the US Federal Standards for identity assurance, authentication assurance and privacy protections. - NSTIC Pilots Catalyzing the Identity Ecosystem (NISTIR 8054) (*)
Summaries and outcomes of NSTIC pilots, including the Trustmark Framework. - Office of the Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment (PM-ISE) Article (*)
An ISE story on the NIEF Trustmark Pilot for Federated ICAM and its goals. - Policies for Program National Identity Exchange Federation (NIEF) Trustmarks (*)
NIEF offers a wide range of Trustmarks to its members and other agencies that wish to participate in the emerging Trustmark ecosystem.
(*) Denotes Archived Material: In an effort to keep CISA.gov current, the archive contains information that may not reflect current policy or programs.
For more resources visit SAFECOM Resources, SAFECOM Technology, or the SAFECOM homepage.