Do the PIV card printers regularly work at any VA?

[Justanothergrad]

I'm just curious.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CheetahGirl]

Ours was down for sometime (1-2 weeks), and I kept having to go back for my new card. Then, they had to reprint it because the PIV chip wasn't working properly on the first one printed.

Also, they sent an interoffice email recently to our VISN that said all PIV chips must be active for use. I kind of disregarded the email because I just manually enter in my login code and never use the chip reader (easier for me).

Funny that you ask. Hope this helps.

 

[erg923]

no

 

[WisNeuro]

Nope. Ours have been down. They are already about a week late in printing my renewal PIV. In another week it expires and I'll just cancel all of my clinics until they fix it. Maybe catch up on some reading, who knows?

 

[Justanothergrad]

If this psychology thing doesn't work out, I'm going to start a new PIV card machine company.. bar is low.

 

[erg923]

And what this "PIV enforcement" thing they are doing? I get a bunch of emails, bur inevitably lack the motivation and endurance to read about the matter.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

And what this "PIV enforcement" thing they are doing? I get a bunch of emails, bur inevitably lack the motivation and endurance to read about the matter.

I believe it's going to require use of PIV cards to log in (i.e., no longer able to use username/password). Which would mean that if your PIV isn't working, you're locked out of the system.

That's been my reading of it, anyway.

Our PIV printer has, I believe, worked fairly consistently. Unfortunately, due to limited staff, they're booked out quite a ways. Luckily I had mine renewed before the current crunch hit.

 

[CheetahGirl]

(i.e., no longer able to use username/password)

...And the rationale behind this is what? No ID, no entry. Ridiculous. It has always been more efficient for me to quickly enter my username/password on every computer rather than dealing with the @*#% PIV readers. Oh well.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

They've been talking about going PIV-only since I was on internship if not before, so this sounds like it was a long time coming. I agree, though, that it's generally easier for me to enter my username/password than use the PIV card, but the rationale seems to be increased security. Having username/password as a backup certainly seems worthwhile, though, at least for computers physically located within the VA/on the VA's firewall. For those who do telework, I could see requiring PIV-only access at all times.

 

[cara susanna]

Haha, on internship my chip stopped working three different times. I had to get my badge reprinted twice, and even had to go through the fingerprinting process again! It was so incredibly annoying. I think the machine wasn't working when I started my post doc, too.

And yeah, I'm really annoyed about the new requirement because I ALWAYS leave my badge in the computer. Without fail. The easiest solution has been to just login using my user ID and password, and now I won't be able to do that anymore.

 

[Pragma]

You down with P.I.V.? Yeah you know me...

So the people who want to check their email at home will have to get a fancy little PIV card reader.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

You down with P.I.V.? Yeah you know me...

So the people who want to check their email at home will have to get a fancy little PIV card reader.

Yep, I believe so. Which may be a solid excuse not to do it. Although apparently the PIV readers are pretty easy to get.

 

[erg923]

So the people who want to check their email at home will have to get a fancy little PIV card reader.

NEVER

 

[Pragma]

NEVER

While I certainly would never do this (would prefer to keep government emails at work), I can imagine erg having to tell his kids to stop putting Uno cards into the PIV reader.

 

[cara susanna]

You down with P.I.V.? Yeah you know me...

So the people who want to check their email at home will have to get a fancy little PIV card reader.

Yep, I believe so. Which may be a solid excuse not to do it. Although apparently the PIV readers are pretty easy to get.

NEVER

Actually, no. You can use the Mobile Pass app for two step authentication. It's annoying, but less annoying than having to get a card reader. And I believe that the VA has already rolled out that change.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Actually, no. You can use the Mobile Pass app for two step authentication. It's annoying, but less annoying than having to get a card reader. And I believe that the VA has already rolled out that change.

Hmm, haven't heard of that before, interesting.

You can also request exemptions (or whatever they call it), but I don't know what would be required for approval, and it sounds like they're time-limited.

 

[psychRA]

Actually, no. You can use the Mobile Pass app for two step authentication. It's annoying, but less annoying than having to get a card reader. And I believe that the VA has already rolled out that change.

Yeah, the Mobile Pass app isn't anywhere near as annoying as an at-home PIV reader. It did take me a while to get used to needing to have my phone in front of me when logging in from home, but I'm used to it now. It's not too bad.

 

[cara susanna]

Ugh, nevermind. You do need a PIV card reader for remote access.

 

[vitaminsea]

Ugh, nevermind. You do need a PIV card reader for remote access.

I don't think anything works consistently at any VA. The PIV enforcement has not been fun.

 

[psychRA]

There may be a problem for remote Mac users, I think. And Mobile Pass stopped working for me once the PIV enforcement started, which is super annoying.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Evidently PIV enforcement is not active at my VA. I thought it was, and we were told it was, but it's not. Wonder how long I'm going to get to sneak past that...

 

[PsychPhDone]

There may be a problem for remote Mac users, I think. And Mobile Pass stopped working for me once the PIV enforcement started, which is super annoying.

ugghh any details on the problem? Working on getting remote access as we speak

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I think y'all cursed us. Our PIV printer just started acting up the other week. Sigh. Luckily I've renewed my card fairly recently.

 

[WisNeuro]

Supposed to get my new PIV back on July 13. Still waiting...

 

[cara susanna]

ugghh any details on the problem? Working on getting remote access as we speak

According to IT, you need a card reader no matter what. Mobile Pass isn't good enough anymore. Not sure why they made us get it, then, but hey...

 

[erg923]

Unless you are in supervisory or VACO position, why would someone need or want remote access?

 

[Pragma]

I hear you just get an exception approved for MHA and you are all good.

 

[WisNeuro]

Unless you are in supervisory or VACO position, why would someone need or want remote access?

HBPC

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I was going to mention the MHA exemption/exception. I don't know the specifics of it, but I know I'm still technically able to log in via username/password. I still use my PIV card, though, because it helps with other things (e.g., encrypted emails, JLV, SSOi).

 

[Justanothergrad]

Unless you are in supervisory or VACO position, why would someone need or want remote access?

Research.

 

[erg923]

HBPC

Every time I ask the HBPC psychs to see someone, they always just send triage/consult them to MHC. lol

 

[WisNeuro]

You guys need a better HBPC. I did some rotations through them, enjoyed it a little bit. Except the houses where bedbugs were a concern. Couldn't sit down.

 

[psychRA]

According to IT, you need a card reader no matter what. Mobile Pass isn't good enough anymore. Not sure why they made us get it, then, but hey...

That's so frustrating! I'm so irritated that I went through all the hassle of getting Mobile Pass, only for it to be irrelevant within months.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Why would anyone expect the equipment at the VA to work? After all the psychologists at the VA rarely work!

Just couldn't resist that one. Seriously, my experience of psychology and psychologists at the one VA where I worked was that the people and services provided were top-notch and far superior to any other facility where I have been since. Now if they could just fix that darn PIV machine.