Smart Card Technology
& Features
[Link]
Smart Card ??
The first smart card was developed
in 1974, by “Roland Moreno”
A smart card is a plastic card that is
embedded with either a microprocessor
or a memory chip.
These smarts cards have the
mechanism for storing and/or
processing information.
Different kinds of smart cards
1. Integrated Circuit
(IC) Microprocessor
Cards
2. Integrated Circuit
(IC) Memory Cards
3. Optical Memory
Cards
(IC) Microprocessor Cards.
Also called as "chip cards“
The current generation of chip cards
has an 8- BIT processor, 16KB ROM,
and 512 bytes of RAM
Applications :
stored value cards
affinity cards
These cards can provide services :
secure access to a network
cellular phones from fraud
IC memory cards
IC memory cards can hold up to 1-4
KB of data, but have no processor
also known as the card-accepting
device
Applications like pre-paid phone cards
and also popular as high-security
alternatives to magnetic stripe cards.
Optical Memory Cards
Optical memory cards can store up to 4
MB of data. But once written, the data
cannot be changed or removed
These cards have no processor in them
(although this is coming in the near
future)
This type of card is ideal for record
keeping - for example medical files,
driving records, or travel histories.
The chip components
Central Processing
Unit (CPU)
Read Only Memory
(ROM)
Random Access
Memory (RAM)
Electrically Erasable
Programmable Read
Only Memory
(EEPROM)
Cryptographic algorithms
Smart cards and
intelligent token uses
different types of
encryption systems.
SHA-1, RSA, DES
DES was published by
the National Bureau of
Standards. It is a secret
Key cryptographic
algorithm .
Contact smart cards
These smart card has up to 8
mechanical contacts .
1. VCC - to supply voltage to the chip
2. RST -to reset signal
3. CLK - for external clock signal
4. GND - for ground
5. VPP –for high voltage signal
6. I/O –to transfer data bet smart
card &the card reader
7. RFU – Reserved for future use
Contact smart cards specifications:-
ROM RAM EEPROM FREQ SPEED OF Cryptographic
OPERATION algorithms
Samsung 24 kb 512 bytes 8kb 100 nano Triple DES
mono chip seconds
Hitachi 32-64 kb 1-3kb 2.25-32.5 13.56 Read 2.5 Hardware
semiconduc Kb MHZ ms Write cryptographic
tors ms algorithm
Contact-less smart cards specifications
ROM RAM EEPRO FREQ Speed of Distance Cryptographi
M MHZ Operatio c algorithms
n
Ms
Samsung 24 Kb 512 8 kb 100 ns 10 cm Triple DES
Mono-chip Bytes
M8K 8 KB 13.56 10 cm
RF-ID .125-13.56 100 mm-
50 cm s
Gem Easy 8 kb 13.56 Read 2.5 10 cm Hardware
8000 series Write 9 Cryptographi
c algorithms
Hitachi 32-64 1.3 kb 2.25- Sub/add
Semiconduct kb 32.5 kb 0.2
ors Mul/dev
1.4
Benefits of Smart Cards
A smart card can be used as a highly secure
storage for all kind of confidential information.
It can be used as a electronic purse.
The information on smart card cannot be
copied where as credit card ‘s magnetic stripe
can easily be copied and then be misused.
It can be used as a secure token to
authenticate over the user’s computer and
bank system.
Pay Phone, Health care, Identity Access, Pay
TV, Gaming.
Intelligent Tokens
Intelligent Tokens have their own battery as a
power supply .These batteries may last for 10
years
they also have stainless steel surrounding the
chip
This shell protects the chip against
environment changes and any attempt to
attack the chip.
Some of the characteristics of the intelligent tokens
The risks of using smart cards
1. Losing value
2. Key compromise
3. Intelligent Tokens
Security of Intelligent tokens
When software and PC hardware are
hacked, the keys remain safe in the
digitally and physically secure iButton
chip .
Conclusio
n
The characteristics of both contact /
contact-less smart cards are the same
with one difference that is the distance
required by the contact-less smart cards
RAM is one of the major differences
between the Intelligent tokens and
smart cards
The use of smart cards will increase in
the future especially the contact-less
type and also the use of intelligent
tokens.
Thank ’Q’
