By Vicky Falcón
NAVAIR Public Affairs

In preparation for “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” the ongoing conflict in Iraq, many program offices and departments within NAVAIR have prepared alternative work plans – some of those strategies include working from home or from offices off base.

Those off-site work plans may be in jeopardy if employees needing access to Sigma Web sites do not obtain or validate their Personal Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificate before April 14.

According to Darryl Allen, deputy Chief Information Officer and division head for information assurance at NAVAIR, all legacy and NMCI users located outside the NMCI network who do not have their DOD PKI certificates registered and installed on their browsers will have their access to Sigma terminated on April 14.

Those Sigma Web sites that will become totally PKI-enabled on April 14 include ERPGUI and CITRIX (sites used to access Sigma); ESS (to perform timecard functions); and E-Power (for workflow and documentation management).

“If you access Sigma or E-power from an NMCI computer at work, you shouldn’t see any changes,” said Allen. However, individuals who access those sites from home, while on travel or from a non-NMCI seat will no longer have access without a valid PKI certificate installed in the appropriate browser.

“A lot of alternative work plans could be affected if personnel do not validate their PKI certificate,” Allen said.

A PKI certificate is an electronic “document” that officially links a user’s identity with their Public Key. An identity certificate is used to digitally sign documents or electronic forms and to authenticate the user to applications. The user has to provide credentials for the certification and sign a “Subscriber Certificate Acceptance and Acknowledgement of Responsibilities” form before being issued instructions for downloading/installing their PKI identity certificate.

A test program has been installed on the effected Sigma Web sites to check the validation of PKI certificates already issued. Using the laptop, legacy, home or NMCI computer on which you have registered or installed your PKI certificate, go to one of the above-mentioned Sigma sites. Click on the red test link located in the upper right corner of the site’s home page. If your PKI certificate is valid, you will be able to access the site.

Fail messages will occur if your PKI certificate is not installed properly or not installed on the appropriate browser. Instructions and guidance for correcting problems are available on all fail messages. And the help desks are ready to assist.
According to Allen, though, some Sigma users within NAVAIR have not yet received their PKI certificate. And some will need to have a certificate re-issued.

“Individuals who lose the diskette that contains their backup copy of the PKI certificate, or forget their password, must have that certificate revoked and a new one requested,” said Allen. “Also, the access code for PKI certificates is only good for 30 days. Expired certificates must be reported to the help desk for resolution.”

PKI certificates may be requested from the NAVAIR and NMCI help desks. NMCI portable (laptop) users should call the NMCI National Help Desk at 1-866-843-6624 for assistance. Military and DOD civilian non-NMCI users, and contractors or others not working from NMCI computers (but who do work inside the DOD network) should contact the NAVAIR National Help Desk at 1-888-292-5919 or 301-342-3104.