About Smart Card

Introduction of Smart Card

Ø Plastic payment cards.

Ø Each card has an ICC (Integrated Circuit Card)

Ø Chip cards

Ø ICC Consist two types Memory cards and Microprocessor card

Ø Memory card is the non-volatile memory (ROM) - cheapest but not secure

Ø  Microprocessor card is the volatile memory (RAM) - more expensive but much more secure with potential for greater usage.

Ø  Microprocessor card can add, delete and otherwise manipulate the information.

Ø  Card made as PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) plastic sometime in ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene).

Ø Card size

ü ID-1 (ISO 7810)à85.60X53.98 mm

ü ID-000à 25X15 mm

ü Both card are 0.76 mm thick

Ø Processor cards (and therefore memory too)

Ø Cards have an operating system too.

Ø The OS provides

Ø A standard way of interchanging information

Ø An interpretation of the commands and data.

Ø Cards must interface to a computer or terminal through a standard card reader.

Architecture of Smart Card

Typical Configuration

Ø256 bytes to 4KB RAM.

Ø 8KB to 32KB ROM.

Ø1KB to 32KB EEPROM.

Ø Crypto-coprocessors (implementing 3DES, RSA etc., in hardware) are optional.

Ø 8-bit to 16-bit CPU. 8051 based designs are common.

Smart Card Types

CONTACT CARD

  Ø Contains a small gold chip about ½ inch in diameter on the front of the card.

          Ø When inserted into a reader, the chip makes contact with electrical connectors that can read information from the chip and write information back.

  Ø The cards do not contain batteries; energy is supplied by the card reader.

CONTACTLESS CARD

  Ø Chip communicates with the card reader through RFID induction technology.

  ØThese cards require only close proximity to an antenna to complete transaction.

  Ø They are often used when transactions must be processed quickly or hands-free.

COMBI CARDS

    Ø The combi card (also known as the dual-interface card) is a card with both contact and contactless interfaces. With such a card, it becomes possible to access the same chip via a contact or contactless interface, with a very high level of security

Smart Card Reader

Ø Computer based readers Connect through USB or COM (Serial) ports

Ø Dedicated terminals Usually with a small screen, keypad, printer, often also have biometric devices such as thumb print scanner.

Ø Finger Print Scanner with smart Card reader.