public function ids() {
		// if the component has not been created yet
		if (!isset($this->ids)) {
			// create the component
			$this->ids = new Id(
				$_ENV['SECURITY_IDS_ALPHABET'],
				$_ENV['SECURITY_IDS_PRIME'],
				$_ENV['SECURITY_IDS_INVERSE'],
				$_ENV['SECURITY_IDS_RANDOM']
			);
		}

		// return the component
		return $this->ids;
	}