[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 5, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 5CFR850.103]

[Page 396-397]
 
                    TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 
          CHAPTER I--OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)
 
PART 850_RETIREMENT SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A_General Provisions
 
Sec.  850.103  Definitions.

    In this part--
    Agency means an Executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 
5, United States Code; a legislative branch agency; a judicial branch 
agency; the U.S. Postal Service; the Postal Regulatory Commission; and 
the District of Columbia government.
    Biometrics refers to the technology that converts a unique 
characteristic of an individual into a digital form, which is then 
interpreted by a computer and compared with a digital exemplar copy of 
the characteristic stored in the computer. Among the unique 
characteristics of an individual that can be converted into a digital 
form are voice patterns, fingerprints, and the blood vessel patterns 
present on the retina of one or both eyes.
    Cryptographic control method means an approach to authenticating 
identity or the authenticity of an electronic document through the use 
of a cipher (i.e., a pair of algorithms) which performs encryption and 
decryption.
    CSRS means the Civil Service Retirement System established under 
subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5, United States Code.

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    Digital signature is an electronic signature generated by means of 
an algorithm that ensures that the identity of the signatory and the 
integrity of the data can be verified. A value, referred to as the 
``private key,'' is generated to produce the signature, and another 
value, known as the ``public key,'' which is linked to, but not the same 
as, the private key, is used to verify the signature.
    Digitized signature means a graphical image of a handwritten 
signature, usually created using a special computer input device, such 
as a digital pen and pad, which contains unique biometric data 
associated with the creation of each stroke of the signature, such as 
duration of stroke or pen pressure. A digitized signature can be 
verified by a comparison with the characteristics and biometric data of 
a known or exemplar signature image.
    Director means the Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
    Electronic communication refers to any information conveyed through 
electronic means and includes electronic forms, applications, elections, 
and requests submitted by email or any other electronic message.
    Electronic Official Personnel Record Folder (e-OPF) means the 
electronic Official Personnel Folder application that will replace the 
current paper personnel folder across the Government.
    Electronic retirement and insurance processing system means the new 
retirement and insurance processing system created by OPM's Retirement 
Systems Modernization (RSM) initiative.
    Employee means an individual, other than a Member of Congress, who 
is covered by CSRS or FERS.
    Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) means the 
comprehensive electronic personnel record-keeping and analysis system 
that supports human resources management across the Federal Government.
    FEGLI means the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program 
established under chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code.
    FEHB means the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program established 
under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code.
    FERS means the Federal Employees' Retirement System established 
under chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code.
    Member means a Member of Congress as defined by section 2106 of 
title 5, United States Code, who is covered by CSRS or FERS.
    Non-cryptographic method is an approach to authenticating identity 
that relies solely on an identification and authentication mechanism 
that must be linked to a specific software platform for each 
application.
    Personal identification number (PIN) or password means a non-
cryptographic method of authenticating the identity of a user of an 
electronic application, involving the use of an identifier known only to 
the user and to the electronic system, which checks the identifier 
against data in a database to authenticate the user's identity.
    Public/private key (asymmetric) cryptography is a method of creating 
a unique mark, known as a digital signature, on an electronic document 
or file. This method involves the use of two computer-generated, 
mathematically-linked keys: a private signing key that is kept private 
and a public validation key that is available to the public.
    RFEHB means the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits Program 
established under Pub. L. 86-724, 74 Stat. 849, 851-52 (September 8, 
1960), as amended.
    Shared service centers are processing centers delivering a broad 
array of administrative services to multiple agencies.
    Shared symmetric key cryptography means a method of authentication 
in which a single key is used to sign and verify an electronic document. 
The single key (also known as a ``private key'') is known only by the 
user and the recipient or recipients of the electronic document.
    Smart card means a plastic card, typically the size of a credit 
card, containing an embedded integrated circuit or ``chip'' that can 
generate, store, or process data. A smart card can be used to facilitate 
various authentication technologies that may be embedded on the same 
card.

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