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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Even the name Smart Card captures the imagination, however such a term is ambiguous and
is used in many different ways. ISO uses the term, Integrated Circuit Card (ICC) to
encompass all those devices where an integrated circuit is contained within an ISO 1
identification card piece of plastic. The card is 85.6mm x 53.98mm x 0.76mm and is the same
as the ubiquitous bank card with its magnetic stripe that is used as the payment instrument for
numerous financial schemes.
Integrated Circuit Cards come in two forms, contact and contactless. The former is easy to
identify because of its gold connector plate (fig 1). Although the ISO Standard (7816-2)
defined eight contacts, only 6 are actually used to communicate with the outside World. The
Contactless card may contain its own battery, particulary in the case of a "Super Smart Card"
which has an integrated keyboard and LCD display. In general however the operating power
is supplied to the contactless card electronics by an inductive loop using low frequency
electronic magnetic radiation. The communications signal may be transmitted in a similar
way or can use capacitive coupling or even an optical connection.
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Processing Unit) to achieve the necessary business. It is the addition of the CPU or microcontroller that really leads to the term "Smart" although we will not be rigorous in our use of
the term.
The control logic should not be overlooked as this is necessary not only for communication
protocols but also to offer some protection of the memory against fraudulent use. The ICC is
probably the security man's dream because unlike most electronic storage and processing
devices it has security intrinsically built in. The ICC really does provide a tamper resistant
domain that is difficult to match with the some what larger security boxes that handle
cryptographic processes.
So now we can differentiate the different types of ICC by their content,
Memory only
Memory with security logic
Memory with CPU
The security logic can be used to control access to the memory for authorized use only. This
is usually accomplished by some form of access code which may be quite large (64 bits or
more). Clearly the use of EEPROM memory must be strictly controlled where fraudsters can
obtain a financial advantage by unauthorized use. This applies as much to telephone cards as
applications using ICC for cryptographic key carriers. The security advantage of the CPU
device is of course more significant because the CPU is capable of implementing
cryptographic algorithms in its own right, but we will discuss this in more detail in due
course.
In the Smart Card world the term application is widely used to describe the software or
programs that the IC implements. In the simplest case the application may be just a file
manager for organising the storage and retrieval of data. Such an application may be totally
implemented in the logic of the chip. Similarly the chip must contain the communications
logic by which it accepts commands from the card acceptance device (CAD) and through
which it receives and transmits the application data. The ICC which contains a CPU can
handle more sophisticated applications and even multi applications since the CPU is also
capable of processing the data and taking decisions upon the various actions that may be
invoked. The subject of mult applications and particulary the implementation of security
segregation is another subject for more detailed discussion in subsequent parts.
Smart cards are a key component of the public-key infrastructure that Microsoft is integrating
into the Windows platform because smart cards enhance software-only solutions, such as
client authentication, logon, and secure e-mail. Smart cards are essentially a point of
convergence for public-key certificates and associated keys because they:
provide tamper-resistant storage for protecting private keys and other forms of personal
information.
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The smart card will become an integral part of the Windows platform because smart cards
provide new and desirable features as revolutionary to the computer industry as the
introduction of the mouse or CD.
Incompatibility of applications, cards, and readers has been a major reason for the slow
adoption of smart cards outside of Europe. Interoperability among different vendors products
is a necessary requirement to enable broad consumer acceptance of smart cards and for
corporations to deploy smart cards for use within the enterprise.
ISO 7816, EMV, and GSM
To promote interoperability among smart cards and readers, the International Standards
Organization (ISO) developed the ISO 7816 standards for integrated circuit cards with
contacts. These specifications focused on interoperability at the physical, electrical, and datalink protocol levels. In 1996, Europay, MasterCard, and VISA (EMV) defined an industryspecific smart card specification that adopted the ISO 7816 standards and defined some
additional data types and encoding rules for use by the financial services industry. The
European telecommunications industry also embraced the ISO 7816 standards for their
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) smart card specification to enable
identification and authentication of mobile phone users.
While all of these specifications (ISO 7816, EMV, and GSM) were a step in the right
direction, each was either too low-level or application-specific to gain broad industry support.
Application interoperability issues, such as device-independent APIs, developer tools, and
resource sharing were not addressed by any of these specifications.
PC/SC Workgroup
The PC/SC (Personal Computer/Smart Card) Workgroup was formed in May 1996 in
partnership with major computer and smart card companies: Groupe Bull, Hewlett-Packard,
Microsoft, Schlumberger, and Siemens Nixdorf. The main focus of the workgroup has been to
develop specifications that solve these interoperability problems. In December 1997, the
workgroup released the first version of the specifications at http://www.smartcardsys.com/.
The PC/SC specifications are based on the ISO 7816 standards and are compatible with both
the EMV and GSM specifications. There is broad industry support for the specifications and a
strong desire to move them toward becoming independent standards in the future.
Since its founding and initial publication of the specifications, additional members have
joined the PC/SC Workgroup. New members include Gemplus, IBM, Sun Microsystems,
Toshiba, and Verifone.
Microsoft Approach
The Microsoft approach is simple and consists of the following:
A standard model for interfacing smart-card readers and cards with computers.
Device-independent APIs for enabling smart-card-aware applications.
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Having a standard model for how readers and cards interface with a computer enforces
interoperability among cards and readers from different manufacturers. Device-independent
APIs insulate application developers from differences between current and future
implementations. Device-independence also reduces software development costs by avoiding
application obsolescence due to underlying hardware changes.
Smart Card Operating System
The core of a smart card is its operating system. This is the code that handles the file
systems, the security, the I/O, the handling of the different applications, etc. It is similar to the
operating systems of PCs, except that it is limited to a few thousand bytes. There are several
companies that develop and market operating systems; IBM has been a pioneer in the area,
since 1984. In 1990 IBM introduced the MultiFunction Card (MFC) operating system. Since
then, many new versions of the MFC operating system have been developed. A unique
version of the MFC was done for Zentraler Kreditausschuess (ZKA), the central committee of
the Germany bank group, for payment systems standards. This development provided the
platform for the GeldKarte, the smart card application with the most number of cards in the
world.
Smart Card Operating Systems on the Market
Besides IBMs MFC, there are many smart card offerings currently available. Smart card
vendors have their own versions of smart card operating systems. The following is a list of
operating systems offered by various smart card vendors. This is not a complete list. Bull:
SmarTB, CC, Odyssey I (JavaCard), etc.
DeLaRue: DS, DX, DXPLUS, CC, Mondex Card, JavaCard, etc.
Gemplus: PCOS, MPCOS, GemVersion, GemXpresso(JavaCard), etc.
Giesecke & Devrient: Starcos S, Starcos PK, Starcos X, etc.
ODS: ODS-COS, etc.
ORGA: ICC, etc.
Schlumberger: ME2000, PayFlex, Multiflex, Cryptoflex, Cyberflex(JavaCard), etc.
Siemens: Card OS
Sometimes smart card vendors license smart card operating system from other manufacturers,
and extend and modify commands and applications for different purposes. For example, both
Gemplus and Schlumberger license IBMs MFC.
Smart Card Types
Since there is no official definition of the term smart card, many different cards are being
called smart cards as long as they have some kind of intelligent circuitry on the cards, such as
a microprocessor.
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tools for their customers. IBMs Smart Card ToolKit thus far is one of the most complete and
powerful tools for smart card application development. Using IBMs ToolKit, an application
developer does not need to know the smart card operating system internals and details.
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The smart card has a life cycle, from its manufacture to its destruction, including the
personalization, the distribution to the user, the replacement, etc. The managing of the card
life cycle is called Card Management System (CMS). CMS must address the following stages
and participants in the life of a smart card:
Chip manufacture
Module manufacture
Plastic card manufacture
Card issuance service bureau
Software and system integration company for providing smart card initialization and
personalization software
Card issuer
Card application provider
Card renewal/modification/revocation
Some companies can provide multiple functions in the process of smart card production and
issuance. But in practice, companies usually team up in alliances because each technology
(such as chip, mask, modules, plastic, and personalization) requires special skills and tools.
Investment in each area can be very extensive and expensive.
To issue a smart card to a cardholder, there are usually two steps: initialization and
personalization. During the initialization step, the file structure and some keys are loaded.
During the personalization step, individual data unique to the cardholder, such as name,
address, account, etc., plus some more encryption keys are loaded into the chip. Part of this
information is also printed on the plastic and encoded into the magnetic stripe, if the card has
one.
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USA customers and merchants are more ready to accept the cost of using credit cards than
its European counterparts
Cellular phones in USA do not follow the GSM standard (Groupe Spciale Mobile, see 3.3,
GSM on page 30), which uses a smart card inside the phone. In Europe the phones use the
GSM standard. These phones use smart cards with a special operating system and its size is
even smaller than credit card size.
Another reason given for this situation is that in USA communications, over either direct or
switched lines, are less expensive than in the rest of the world. What does this have to do with
smart card usage? Many cards applications require an online transaction, for example a credit
card may require to check the validity of the card. The beauty of the smart card is that allows
the merchant to avoid this online checking, allowing an offline authentication and thus saving
a phone call; France has credit and debit cards that use smart cards for this purpose.
An example of an offline application is the electronic purse. The user loads the smart card
purse with money and goes shopping with it. When the user hands the smart card to the
merchant, there is no need to require the approval from a credit organization, as the money
is already in the card.
The merchant avoids the cost of a phone call and also gets the money right away.
Why are communications less expensive in the USA than in most of other countries? The
usual answer is that outside the USA communications are a monopoly of the governmentowned PTT. But this situation is changing; many PTTs are going private
. It is necessary the discovery of an killer application in the USA in order to increase the
penetration of smart cards in this market. Of course, we do not know which this killer
application(s) may be. As we said before, the most important features of a smart card, from
our point of view, are security and mobility. This killer application should exploit these
features.
There is a situation in the IT business that may help the usage of smart cards: the fear of
hackers attacking sensitive information from the Internet. Another is to protect assets,
denying access to premises that contain valuable information. In this book we emphasize
these types of applications: digital signature, biometrics, access control, etc. These
application will not generate the zillions of cards predicted in some forecasts, but they will
require the help of consultants and integrators, to whom this book is addressed.
In summary, for the future we think that:
In North America the use of smart cards for authentication will probably be one of the main
drivers in the increase of usage of cards
In the emerging countries where telecommunications still has to catch up with the USAs
standards and prices, the use of smart cards for offline transactions will be the main factor in
increasing smart card usage.
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In Europe the goverment usage of smart cards for health and other federal prgrams will be a
decisive factor in expanding the smart card market.
CHAPTER 2
HISTORY
Invention
In 1968 and 1969 Helmut Grttrup and Jrgen Dethloff jointly filed patents for the automated
chip card. Roland Moreno patented the memory card concept in 1974. An important patent
for smart cards with a microprocessor and memory as used today was filed by Jrgen
Dethloff in 1976 and granted as USP 4105156 in 1978. In 1977, Michel
Ugon from Honeywell Bull invented the first microprocessor smart card with two chips: one
microprocessor and one memory, and in 1978, he has patented the self-programmable onechip microcomputer (SPOM) that defines the necessary architecture to program the chip.
Three years later, Motorola used this patent in its "CP8". At that time, Bull had 1,200 patents
related to smart cards. In 2001, Bull sold its CP8 division together with its patents to
Schlumberger, who subsequently combined its own internal smart card department and CP8
to create Axalto. In 2006, Axalto and Gemplus, at the time the world's top two smart card
manufacturers, merged and became Gemalto. In 2008Dexa Systems spun off
from Schlumberger and acquired Enterprise Security Services business, which included the
smart card solutions division responsible for deploying the first large scale public key
infrastructure (PKI) based smart card management systems.
The first mass use of the cards was as a telephone card for payment in French pay phones,
starting in 1983.
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Carte Bleue
After the Tlcarte, microchips were integrated into all French Carte Bleue debit cards in
1992. Customers inserted the card into the merchant's point of sale (POS) terminal, then
typed the personal identification number (PIN), before the transaction was accepted. Only
very limited transactions (such as paying small highway tolls) are processed without a PIN.
Smart-card-based "electronic purse" systems store funds on the card so that readers do not
need network connectivity. They entered European service in the mid-1990s. They have been
common in Germany (Geldkarte), Austria (Quick Wertkarte), Belgium (Proton), France
(Moneo), the Netherlands (Chipknip Chipper (decommissioned in 2001)), Switzerland
("Cash"), Norway ("Mondex"), Sweden ("Cash", decommissioned in 2004), Finland
("Avant"), UK ("Mondex"), Denmark ("Danmnt") and Portugal ("Porta-moedas
Multibanco").
Since the 1990s, smart-cards have been the Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) used
in European GSM mobile phone equipment. Mobile phones are widely used in Europe, so
smart cards have become very common.
EMV
Europay MasterCard Visa (EMV)-compliant cards and equipment are widespread. The
United States started using the EMV technology in 2014. Typically, a country's national
payment
association,
in
coordination
with MasterCard International, Visa International, American
Express and Japan
Credit
Bureau (JCB), jointly plan and implement EMV systems.
Historically, in 1993 several international payment companies agreed to develop smart-card
specifications for debit and credit cards. The original brands were MasterCard, Visa,
and Europay. The first version of the EMV system was released in 1994. In 1998 the
specifications became stable.
EMVCo maintains these specifications. EMVco's purpose is to assure the various financial
institutions and retailers that the specifications retain backward compatibility with the 1998
version. EMVco upgraded the specifications in 2000 and 2004.
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CHAPTER 3
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CONSTRUCTION
How the smart card is made?
The manufacture of a smart card involves a large number of processes of which the
embedding of the chip into the plastic card is key in achieving an overall quality product.
This latter process is usually referred to as card fabrication. The whole operation starts with
the application requirements specification. From the requirements individual specifications
can be prepared for the chip, card, mask ROM software and the application software.
The ROM software is provided to the semiconductor supplier who manufactures the chips.
The card fabricator embeds the chip in the plastic card. It is also quite normal for the
fabricator to load the application software and personalisation data. Security is a fundamental
aspect in the manufacture of a smart card and is intrinsic to the total process. However we
will consider security separately in subsequent articles in this series. We will look at each of
the stages in the manufacture of the smart card as shown in figure.3.
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Chip specification
There are a number of factors to be decided in the specification of the integrated circuit for
the smart card. For the purpose of this discussion we will consider a CPU based card
although the manufacture of a memory card is substantially a subset of that described here.
The key parameters for the chip specification are as follows,
Microcontroller type (e.g 6805,8051)
Mask ROM size
RAM size
Non volatile memory type (e.g EPROM, EEPROM)
Non volatile memory size
Clock speed (external, and optionally internal)
Electrical parameters (voltage and current)
Communications parameters (asynchronous, synchronous, byte, block)
Reset mechanism
Sleep mode (low current standby operation)
Co-processor (e.g for public key cryptography)
In practice the semiconductor manufacturers have a range of products for which the above
parameters are pre-defined. The task of the designer is therefore concerned with choosing the
appropriate product for the particular application. As mentioned previously security may be
an important issue for the application and accordingly there may be extra requirements on the
physical and logical security offered by the particular chip. Conformance to ISO standards is
also likely to be a requirement and in this area ISO 7816 - 3 (Electronic signals and
transmission protocols) is the principle standard to be considered. It should be noted however
that ETSI (European Telecommunications Standard Institute) are currently developing new
standards for the CEN TC224 committee. These standards are more stringent than that
described by the ISO standards. For example the ISO 7816-3 allows a card current supply of
up to 200 mA. ETSI have recommended 20mA for normal use and 10mA for applications
such as portable phones.
Card specification
The specification of a card involves parameters that are common to many existing
applications using the ISO ID-1 card. The following list defines the main parameters that
should be defined,
Card dimensions
Chip location (contact card)
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provide the necessary security segregation. The developed code is given to the supplier who
incorporates this data as part of the chip manufacturing process.
Chip Fabrication
The fabrication of the card involves a number of processes as shown in fig. 7. The first part of
the process is to manufacture a substrate which contains the chip. This is often called a COB
(Chip On Board) and consists of a glass epoxy connector board on which the chip is bonded
to the connectors. There are three technologies available for this process, wire bonding, flip
chip processing and tape automated bonding (TAB).
In each case the semiconductor wafer manufactured by the semiconductor supplier is diced
into individual chips . This may be done by scribing with a diamond tipped point and then
pressure rolling the wafers so that it fractures along the scribe lines. More commonly the die
are separated from the wafer by the use of a diamond saw. A mylar sheet is stuck to the back
of the wafer so that following separation the dice remain attached to the mylar film.
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The die mounting and wire bonding processes involve a large number of operations and are
therefore quite expensive. Because in general only 5 or 6 wires are bonded for smart card
applications this approach is acceptable. However in the semiconductor industry generally
two other techniques are used, the flip chip process and tape automated bonding. In both
cases gold bumps are formed on the die. In flip chip processing the dice are placed face down
on the substrate and bonding is effected by solder reflow. With tape automated bonding the
dice are attached by thermocompression to copper leads supported on a flexible tape similar
to a 35mm film.
The finished substrate is hermetically sealed with an inert material such as epoxy resin. The
complete micromodule is then glued into the card which contains the appropriately sized
hole.
The fabrication of a contactless card is somewhat different since it always involves a
laminated card as shown in fig. 8. The ICs and their interconnections as well as the aerial
circuits are prepared on a flexible polyimide substrate.
Card Personalisation
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The card is personalised to the particular user by loading data into files in the PROM memory
in the same way that the application code is loaded into memory. At this stage the security
keys will probably be loaded into the PROM memory but as mentioned previously we will
explore this in more detail later.
Application Activation
The final operation in the manufacturing process is to enable the application for operation.
This will involve the setting of flags in the PROM memory that will inhibit any further
changes to be made to the PROM memory except under direct control of the application.
Again this is an integral part of the overall security process.
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CHAPTER 4
CHARACTERISTICS OF SMART CARD
Physical characteristics of the Contact Card
Many observers have commented that the widespread use of smart cards is being impeded by
the lack of standards. Interoperability is of course the name of the game and is the primary
purpose of standards. The problems of interoperability start at the bottom, in other words with
the physical dimensions of the card and the location of the contacts.
These standards are well established and as we shall show in subsequent parts so are the more
important characteristics of a smart card that form the basis of the existing and emerging
standards. As you move higher in the architecture towards the specification of the application
then the problems of interoperability are less relevant since it is not generally necessary to
have compatibility between the applications themselves. The biggest hole in the current
standards work is the lack of agreement in the security domain which one might argue is
fundamental to the application platform. We will discuss this area however in more detail in a
subsequent part of this series.
The physical characteristics of an IC card are defined in ISO 7816 part 1. This standard
applies to the ID - 1 identification card specified in ISO 7810 and includes cards which may
have embossing or magnetic stripes. Whilst we are all familiar with the use of imprinters to
obtain a printed version of the embossed characters on some paper voucher, their viability on
an IC card must be questionable. The IC module in a smart card is like any other electronic
component and is not normally expected to be hit with a hammer at regular intervals. Even
the embossing process itself is mechanically stressful and must raise serious doubts over the
appropriate migration strategy.
The physical properties of the contact IC card are referenced against earlier card standards
and we will look at each of them in turn.
ISO 7810 Identification cards - Physical characteristics (1985)
This standard specifies the physical characteristics of identification cards including card
material, construction, characteristics and nominal dimensions for three sizes of cards (ID -1,
ID -2 and ID -3). It is the ID -1 card that forms the basis of ISO 7816 -1.
The principal parameters of ISO 7810 are the dimensions of the ID -1 card which are defined
to be, 85.6mm x 53.98mm x 0.76mm
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The thickness of the card is particularly important for smart card readers because of the
mechanical construction of the card connector mechanism.
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The physical dimensions of the IC card are defined as that specified in ISO 7813. It should be
noted that the thickness dimension does not include any allowance for embossing. More
particulary the slot for a card may include an extra indentation for the embossed area of the
card. In effect it acts as a polarisation key and may be used to aid the correct insertion
orientation of the card. This is an additional characteristic to the magnetic field sensor which
operates off the magnetic stripe and is used to open a mechanical gate on devices such as
ATM's where some vandal proofing techniques are required.
The part 1 standard also defines additional characteristics that should be met in the
manufacturer of an IC card. These characteristics fall into the following categories:
Ultra violet light
X - rays
Surface profile of contacts
Mechanical strength (of cards and contacts)
Electrical resistance (of contacts)
Electromagnetic interference (between magnetic stripe and integrated circuit)
Electromagnetic field
Static electricity
Heat dissipation
It has to be said that this part of the standard could be improved and there is currently some
work taking place in ISO on this very subject. The three most widely used tests applied by
fabricators are specified in the annex to the standard,
A1 Bending properties
A2 Torsion properties
A3 Static electricity
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occasional peaks up to +70 o C. In addition the draft identifies multiapplication cards for
portable battery operated equipment to be used between -25 o C and +70 o C with occasional
peaks of up to +85 o C. The word occasional is defined to mean not more than 4 hours each
time and not over 100 times during the life of the card.
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CHAPTER 5
TYPES OF SMART CARDS
A smart card may have the following generic characteristics:
Dimensions similar to those of a credit card. ID-1 of the ISO/IEC 7810 standard
defines cards as nominally 85.60 by 53.98 millimetres (3.370 in 2.125 in). Another
popular size is ID-000 which is nominally 25 by 15 millimetres (0.984 in 0.591 in)
(commonly used in SIM cards). Both are 0.76 millimetres (0.030 in) thick.
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mechanism. These cards cannot identify themselves to the reader, so your host system
has to know what type of card is being inserted into a reader. These cards are easily
duplicated and cannot be tracked by on-card identifiers.
Protected / Segmented Memory Cards
These cards have built-in logic to control the access to the memory of the card.
Sometimes referred to as Intelligent Memory cards, these devices can be set to writeprotect some or the entire memory array. Some of these cards can be configured to
restrict access to both reading and writing. This is usually done through a password or
system key. Segmented memory cards can be divided into logical sections for planned
multi-functionality. These cards are not easily duplicated but can possibly be
impersonated by hackers. They typically can be tracked by an on-card identifier.
Stored Value Memory Cards
These cards are designed for the specific purpose of storing value or tokens. The cards
are either disposable or rechargeable. Most cards of this type incorporate permanent
security measures at the point of manufacture. These measures can include password
keys and logic that are hard-coded into the chip by the manufacturer. The memory
arrays on these devices are set-up as decrements or counters. There is little or no
memory left for any other function. For simple applications such as a telephone card,
the chip has 60 or 12 memory cells, one for each telephone unit. A memory cell is
cleared each time a telephone unit is used. Once all the memory units are used, the card
becomes useless and is thrown away. This process can be reversed in the case of
rechargeable cards.
CPU/MPU Microprocessor Multifunction Cards
These cards have on-card dynamic data processing capabilities. Multifunction smart
cards allocate card memory into independent sections or files assigned to a specific
function or application. Within the card is a microprocessor or microcontroller chip that
manages this memory allocation and file access. This type of chip is similar to those
found inside all personal computers and when implanted in a smart card, manages data
in organized file structures, via a card operating system (COS). Unlike other operating
systems, this software controls access to the on-card user memory. This capability
permits different and multiple functions and/or different applications to reside on the
card, allowing businesses to issue and maintain a diversity of products through the
card. One example of this is a debit card that also enables building access on a college
campus. Multifunction cards benefit issuers by enabling them to market their products
and services via state-of-the-art transaction and encryption technology. Specifically, the
technology enables secure identification of users and permits information updates
without replacement of the installed base of cards, simplifying program changes and
reducing costs. For the card user, multifunction means greater convenience and
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security, and ultimately, consolidation of multiple cards down to a select few that serve
many purposes.
There are many configurations of chips in this category, including chips that support
cryptographic Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) functions with on-board math coprocessors or JavaCard with virtual machine hardware blocks. As a rule of thumb - the
more functions, the higher the cost.
Contactless Cards
These are smart cards that employ a radio frequency (RFID) between card and reader
without physical insertion of the card. Instead, the card is passed along the exterior of
the reader and read. Types include proximity cards which are implemented as a readonly technology for building access. These cards function with a very limited memory
and communicate at 125 MHz. Another type of limited card is the Gen 2 UHF Card
that operates at 860 MHz to 960 MHz.
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The chip selection for these functions is vast and supported by many semiconductor
manufacturers. What separates a smart card chip from other microcontrollers is often
referred to as trusted silicon. The device itself is designed to securely store data
withstanding outside electrical tampering or hacking. These additional security features
include a long list of mechanisms such as no test points, special protection metal masks
and irregular layouts of the silicon gate structures. The trusted silicon semiconductor
vendor list below is current for 2010:
Atmel
EM Systems
Infineon
Microchip
NXP
Renesas Electronics
Samsung
Sharp
Sony
ST Microelectronics
Many of the features that users have come to expect, such as specific encryption
algorithms, have been incorporated into the hardware and software libraries of the chip
architectures. This can often result in a card manufacturer not future-proofing their
design by having their card operating systems only ported to a specific device. Care
should be taken in choosing the card vendor that can support your project over time as
card operating system-only vendors come in and out of the market. The tools and
middleware that support card operating systems are as important as the chip itself.
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CHAPTER 6
SMART CARD READERS
Smart card readers and terminals
Readers and terminals operate with smart cards to obtain card information and
perform a transaction.
Generally, a reader interfaces with a PC for the majority of its processing requirements.
A terminal is a self-contained processing device. Both readers and terminals read and
write to smart cards.
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Readers
Contact
This type of reader requires a physical connection to the cards, made by inserting the
card into the reader. This is the most common reader type for applications such as ID
and Stored Value. The card-to-reader communications is often ISO 7816 T=0 only. This
communication has the advantage of direct coupling to the reader and is considered
more secure. The other advantage is speed. The typical PTS Protocol Type Selection
(ISO7816-3) negotiated speed can be up to 115 kilo baud. This interface enables larger
data transport without the overhead of anti-collision and wireless breakdown issues that
are a result from the card moving in and out of the reader antenna range.
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Interface
A contact reader is primarily defined by the method of it's interface to a PC. These
methods include RS232 serial ports, USB ports, PCMCIA slots, floppy disk slots,
parallel ports, infrared IRDA ports and keyboards and keyboard wedge readers. Some
readers support more than one type of card such as the tri mode insert readers from
MagTek. These readers support magnetic stripe-contact and contactless read operations
all in one device.
Reader & Terminal to Card Communication
All cards and readers that follow ISO 7816-3 standards have a standardized set of
commands that enable communication for CPU cards.
These commands, called APDUs (Application Protocol Data Units) can be executed at
a very low level, or they can be scripted into APIs which enable the user to send
commands from an application to a reader.
The reader communicates with the card where the response to the request takes place.
From a technical perspective, the key is the APIs that are chosen. These layers of
software can enable effective application communication with smart cards and readers
from more than one manufacturer. Most terminal SDKs come with a customized API
for that platform. They are typically in some form of C, C++ or C # and will have the
header files included. Many smart card readers have specific drivers/APIs for memory
cards. For ISO7816 processor cards the PC/SC interface is often employed, but it has
limitations. This is especially important if you have both memory and microprocessor
cards that can are used in the same system. Some APIs give the software designer the
ability to select readers from multiple vendors.
The following are some of the function calls provided for transporting APDUs and
their functions:
Reader Select
Reader Connect
Reader Disconnect
Card Connect
Card Disconnect
Proprietary Commands for specific readers and cards
Allow ISO Commands to be passed to cards using standard ISO format
Allow ISO Commands to be sent to cards using a simplified or shortcut format
(As in the CardLogix Winplex API)
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Applications Development
The development of PC applications for readers has been simplified by the Personal
Computer/Smart Card (PC/SC) standard. This standard is supported by all major
operating systems. The problem with the PC/SC method is that it does not support all
of the reader functions offered by each manufacturer such as LED control and card
latching/locking. When just using the drivers for each reader manufacturer there is no
connection the functions of the card.
The better choice is Application Programming Interfaces (API's) that are part of readily
available in Software Design Kits (SDKs) that support specific manufacturer's card
families. Check these kits for a variety of reader manufacture supported. M.O.S. T. and
Smart Toolz from CardLogix is a good example of a well rounded Smart Card SDK.
Terminals
Unlike readers, terminals are more similar to a self contained PC, with most featuring
operating systems and development tools. Terminals are often specific to the use case
such as Security, health informatics or POS (Point of sale). Connectivity in the
terminals is typically via Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP-IP) or
GSM network. Many terminals today feature regular OS's making deployment easier
such as Datastrip with windows CE or Exadigm with Linux.
CHAPTER 7
SECURITY
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Security Concern
Type of Access
Drug Formula
Formula
basis
business
income.Competitor
spying
Accounting, Regulatory
Required by law
Relevant
executives
and departments
Personnel Files
Employee piracy
Relevant
executives
and departments
Employee ID
Non-employee access.
Inaccurate
payroll,
benefits assignment
Relevant
executives
and departments
Building
safety,
emergency response
All employees
Outside
response
of
emergency
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Type of Data Security Concern Type of Access Drug Formula Basis of business
income. Competitor spying Highly selective list of executives Accounting, Regulatory
Required by law Relevant executives and departments Personnel Files Employee
piracy Relevant executives and departments Employee ID Non-employee access.
Inaccurate payroll, benefits assignment Relevant executives and departments Facilities
Access Authorization Individuals per function and clearance such as customers,
visitors, or vendors Building safety, emergency response All employees Outside
emergency response
What Is Information Security?
Information security is the application of measures to ensure the safety and privacy of
data by managing its storage and distribution. Information security has both technical
and social implications. The first simply deals with the how and how much question
of applying secure measures at a reasonable cost. The second grapples with issues of
individual freedom, public concerns, legal standards and how the need for privacy
intersects them. This discussion covers a range of options open to business managers,
system planners and programmers that will contribute to your ultimate security
strategy. The eventual choice rests with the system designer and issuer.
The Elements Of Data Security
In implementing a security system, all data networks deal with the following main
elements:
1) Hardware, including servers, redundant mass storage devices, communication
channels and lines, hardware tokens (smart cards) and remotely located devices (e.g.,
thin clients or Internet appliances) serving as interfaces between users and computers
2) Software, including operating systems, database
communication and security application programs
management
systems,
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3) Can I Confirm Receipt Of The Data And Sender Identity Back To The Sender?
(Non-Repudiation)
4) Can I Keep This Data Private? (Confidentiality) - Ensures only senders and receivers
access the data. This is typically done by employing one or more encryption techniques
to secure your data
5) Can I Safely Share This Data If I Choose? (Authorization and Delegation) You can
set and manage access privileges for additional users and groups
6) Can I Verify The That The System Is Working? (Auditing and Logging) Provides a
constant monitor and troubleshooting of security system function
7) Can I Actively Manage The System? (Management) Allows administration of your
security system
Data Integrity
This is the function that verifies the characteristics of a document and a transaction.
Characteristics of both are inspected and confirmed for content and correct
authorization. Data Integrity is achieved with electronic cryptography that assigns a
unique identity to data like a fingerprint. Any attempt to change this identity signals the
change and flags any tampering.
Authentication
This inspects, then confirms, the proper identity of people involved in a transaction of
data or value. In authentication systems, authentication is measured by assessing the
mechanisms strength and how many factors are used to confirm the identity. In a PKI
system a Digital Signature verifies data at its origination by producing an identity that
can be mutually verified by all parties involved in the transaction. A cryptographic hash
algorithm produces a Digital Signature.
Non-Repudiation
This eliminates the possibility of a transaction being repudiated, or invalidated by
incorporating a Digital Signature that a third party can verify as correct. Similar in
concept to registered mail, the recipient of data re-hashes it, verifies the Digital
Signature, and compares the two to see that they match.
Authorization and Delegation
Authorization is the processes of allowing access to specific data within a system.
Delegation is the utilization of a third party to manage and certify each of the users of
your system. (Certificate Authorities).
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CHAPTER 8
ADVANTAGES OF SMART CARD
Smart cards work just as well as credit cards, yet may be safer and more secure. Learn more
about how these cards work and why it is taking so long for them to become more common.
The Advantages Of Using Smart Cards
The first main advantage of smart cards is their flexibility. Smart cards have multiple
functions which simultaneously can be an ID, a credit card, a stored-value cash card, and a
repository of personal information such as telephone numbers or medical history.
The card can be easily replaced if lost, and, the requirement for a PIN (or other form of
security) provides additional security from unauthorised access to information by others. At
the first attempt to use it illegally, the card would be deactivated by the card reader itself.
The second main advantage is security. Smart cards can be electronic key rings, giving the
bearer ability to access information and physical places without need for online connections.
They are encryption devices, so that the user can encrypt and decrypt information without
relying on unknown, and therefore potentially untrustworthy, appliances such as ATMs.
Smart cards are very flexible in providing authentication at different level of the bearer and
the counterpart. Finally, with the information about the user that smart cards can provide to
the other parties, they are useful devices for customizing products and services.
Other general benefits of smart cards are:
Portability
More Secure
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This simple technology has revolutionized the payment card industry and increased the level
of card security. These cards use encryption and authentication technology which is more
secure than previous methods associated with payment cards.
The microprocessor chip embedded at the heart of the smart card requires contact to the card
reader and certain areas of the chip can be programmed for specific industries.
Safe to Transport
Another advantage to having a smart card is their use in the banking industry (and many other
sectors). These cards give the holder freedom to carry large sums of money around without
feeling anxious about having the money stolen.
In this regard, they are also safe because the cards can be easily replaced, and the person
would have to know the pin number to access its stored value. This takes care of the problem
with cash; once it is stolen it is nearly impossible to trace and recover it.
Double as an ID Card
A third advantage of using a smart card is that they can provide complete identification in
certain industries. There are numerous benefits of using smart cards for identification.
A driver's license that has been created using smart card technology can give the police the
ability to quickly identify someone whose been stopped for speeding or reckless driving.
These cards can be used by health professionals to identify someone who is brought in by an
ambulance but unconscious or unable to speak.
Prevents Fraud
Other benefits of using smart cards for identification can be used by governments to prevent
benefits and social welfare fraud to ensure the right person is receiving the welfare benefit.
Some countries are using the smart cards to identify temporary workers who have been given
work permits. This has the potential to reduce immigration fraud.
Smart cards are just as easy to use as a credit or debit card, but considerable more secure.
They are lightweight and easy to carry. This makes it easy to have one card to pay for
parking, access to the office, and for buying lunch at the office cafeteria.
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CHAPTER 9
DISADVANTAGES OF SMART CARD
The plastic card in which the chip is embedded is fairly flexible. The larger the chip, the
higher the probability that normal use could damage it. Cards are often carried in wallets or
pockets, a harsh environment for a chip. However, for large banking systems, failuremanagement costs can be more than offset by fraud reduction.
If the account holder's computer hosts malware, the smart card security model may be
broken. Malware can override the communication (both input via keyboard and output via
application screen) between the user and the application. Man-in-the-browser malware (e.g.,
the Trojan Silentbanker) could modify a transaction, unnoticed by the user.
Banks like Fortis and Belfius in Belgium and Rabobank ("random reader") in the Netherlands
combine a smart card with an unconnected card reader to avoid this problem. The customer
enters a challenge received from the bank's website, a PIN and the transaction amount into
the reader.
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The reader returns an 8-digit signature. This signature is manually entered into the personal
computer and verified by the bank, preventing point-of-sale-malware from changing the
transaction amount.
Smart cards have also been the targets of security attacks. These attacks range from physical
invasion of the card's electronics, to non-invasive attacks that exploit weaknesses in the card's
software or hardware. The usual goal is to expose private encryption keys and then read and
manipulate secure data such as funds.
Once an attacker develops a non-invasive attack for a particular smart card model, he is
typically able to perform the attack on other cards of that model in seconds, often using
equipment that can be disguised as a normal smart card reader. While manufacturers may
develop new card models with additional security, it may be costly or inconvenient for users
to upgrade vulnerable systems. Tamper-evident and audit features in a smart card system help
manage the risks of compromised cards.
Another problem is the lack of standards for functionality and security. To address this
problem, the Berlin Group launched the ERIDANE Project to propose "a new functional and
security framework for smart-card based Point of Interaction (POI) equipment".
Easily Lost
Like a credit card, smart cards are small, lightweight and can be easily lost if the person is
irresponsible. Unlike credit cards, smart cards can have multiple uses and so the loss may be
much more inconvenient. If you lose a card that doubles as a debit card, bus pass and key to
the office, you could be severely inconvenienced for a number of days.
Security
A second disadvantage of the using smart cards is their level of security. They are more
secure than swipe cards. However, they are not as secure as some in the general public would
believe. This creates a false sense of security and someone might not be as diligent as
protecting their card and the details it holds.
Slow Adoption
If used as a payment card, not every store or restaurant will have the hardware necessary to
use these cards. One of the reasons for this is since the technology is more secure, it is also
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more expensive to produce and use. Therefore, some stores may charge a basic minimum fee
for using smart cards for payment, rather than cash.
CHAPTER 10
APPLICATIONS
Mobile Payments
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Mobile phones are currently used for a limited number of electronic transactions. However,
the percentage seems likely to increase as mobile phone manufacturers enable the chip and
software in the phone for easier electronic commerce.
Consumers can use their mobile phone to pay for transactions in several ways. Consumers
may send an SMS message, transmit a PIN number, use WAP to make online payments, or
perform other segments of their transaction with the phone. As phones develop further,
consumers are likely to be able to use infrared, Bluetooth and other means more frequently to
transmit full account data in order to make payments securely and easily from their phone.
Additionally, merchants can obtain an authorization for a credit or debit card transaction by
attaching a device to their mobile phone. A consortium in the US also recently announced
PowerSwipe, for example, which physically connects to a Nextel phone, weighs 3.1 ounces,
and incorporates a magnetic stripe reader, infrared printing port, and pass-through connector
for charging the handset battery.
Biometric Payments
Electronic payments using biometrics are still largely in their infancy. Trials are underway in
the United States, Australia and a limited number of other countries. Most biometric
payments involve using fingerprints as the identification and access tool, though companies
like Visa International are piloting voice recognition technology and retina scans are also
under consideration. Essentially, a biometric identifier such as a fingerprint or voice could
replace the plastic card and more securely identifies the person undertaking the transaction.
The electronic payment is still charged to a credit card or other account, with the biometric
identifier replacing the card, check or other transaction mechanism.
Smart networking
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Smart card technologies provide strong security through encryption as well as access control,
based on identification
National ID / Authentication
In the wake of 9/11 attack a need has been felt in many countries for tamperproof ID cards
and a secure authenticating device. Many countries all over the world are trying out, and
implementing, the smart card option as a national identity card.
University Identification
The traditional student ID card can be replaced by an all-purpose chip-based student ID card,
containing a variety of applications such as electronic purse for vending and laundry
machines), and for use as a library card, and meal card.
Financial Applications
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Smart cards are being used as an electronic purse, or epurse, to replace coins for small
purchases in vending machines and over-the counter transactions. This area is growing
rapidly in Europe and the U.S.
Retail and Loyalty
Smart cards are used to record the transactions of the customer, which are helpful in
implementation of loyalty programs. Consumer reward/redemption is tracked on a smart
loyalty card that is marketed to specific consumer profiles and linked to one or more specific
retailers serving that profile set.
Communication Applications
The chip-based cards help secure the initiation of calls and the identification of callers (for
billing purposes) on any Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) phone
Transportation
Mass transit fare collection systems are using smart tickets, which are easy to load and
redeem for a fare.
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CHAPTER 11
CONCLUSION AND FUTUERE SCOPE
CONCLUSION
Smart cards can add convenience and safety to any transaction of value and data; but the
choices facing today's managers can be daunting. We hope this site has adequately presented
the options and given you enough information to make informed evaluations of performance,
cost and security that will produce a smart card system that fits today's needs and those of
tomorrow. It is our sincere belief that informed users make better choices, which leads to
better business for everybody.
FUTURE SCOPE
Compared to the conventional magnetic stripe cards, smart cards offer increase security,
convenience, and economic advantages. Reducing fraud, reducing time to complete
redundant paperwork, and having the potential to have one card to access diverse networks
and applications are just some of such examples. The discussion for the future of the smart
card across the global industries can be divided into public and private sectors and are
discussed below.
Public services
Health cards with multiple functions are issued to patients in France. The card can be
used to store information such as administrative, medical, biological, and
pharmaceutical records. The card simplifies the administrative process and enables
doctors to have access to a more complete and comprehensive healthcare information.
Multifunction ID cards are issued to students at university campuses and schools. The
card has the function of identifying the student and also acts as an electronic purse
and can be used purchase products from stores or tickets to public transportation.
Information such as those on a drivers license can be stored on the smart card, along
with an up-to-date driving records including fines and offenses. The new system can
help the government keep track of individuals records and have a higher successful
rate in collecting fines.
Private services
The limitations of the magnetic stripe and the problems with fraud and bad debt can
make smart cards a better choice. It not only can store 80 times more information than
the traditional card, it can also help banks to have better control over credit risks by
enabling banks to customize credit lines based on individual cardholders risk profiles
and alter the parameters dynamically as needed. Also, the financial institutes can also
offer more personalized products and services to fit cardholders lifestyles.
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The card can contain all necessary personal data for easier Web connection and
personalize networking. The card, with all personal information such as users ID, emails, settings for electronic appliances, and phone numbers stored on the card itself
instead of a remote device, will be able to allow network connection anywhere
globally as long as there is a phone or an information kiosk. As appliances become
generic tools, users will have the convenience of carrying the card alone to have a
personalized networking experience.
According to the Gartner Group, it is expected that Internet purchasing will grow to
$20 billion by 2000 worldwide, with security and portability in payment transaction
over the network continue to play an integral roles to the success of this marketplace.
SET protocol will provide a mean to transport customer data and payments
information securely over the Internet without having to be locked into using one PC.
Electronic cash stored on cards will enable consumers to make micropayments
(penny-payments) over the internet.
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CHAPTER 12
REFERENCES
[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_card
[2] http://www.smartcardbasics.com
[3] http://www.smartcardbasics.com/pdf/7100030_BKL_Smart-Card-Security-Basics.pdf
[4] http://www.smartcard.co.uk/tutorials/sct-itsc.pdf
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