INTRODUCTION

The smart card is one of the latest additions to the world of information technology and perhaps
some of the most widely used ,but underestimated Electronics device in use today. In many cases
these device are in the front line , defending citizens and system alike against against attacks on
information security . Because they have tended to be small and often concealed ,smart Cards have
carried on their important work ,largely unnoticed, but this is changing .High profile use of smart
cards for IDs, Passports, credit cards and e-tickets. The smart card has a microprocessor or memory
chip embedded in it that, when coupled with a reader, has the processing power to serve many
different applications. As an access-control device, smart cards make personal and business data
available only to the appropriate users. Another application provides users with the ability to make
a purchase or exchange value. Smart cards provide data portability, security and convenience.
Smart cards come in two varieties: memory and microprocessor Memory cards simply store data
and can be viewed as a small floppy disk with optional security A microprocessor card, on the
other hand ,can add, delete and manipulate information in its memory on the card. Similar to a
miniature computer, a microprocessor card has an input/output port operating system and hard disk
with built-in security features. On a fundamental level,microprocessor cards are similar to desktop
computers. They have operating systems, they store data and applications, they compute and
process information and they can be protected with sophisticated security tools. The self-
containment of smart card makes it resistant to attack as it
does not need to depend upon potentially vulnerable external resources. Because of this
characteristic, smart cards are often used in different applications, which require
strong security protection and authentication. For examples, smart card can act as an identification
card, which is used to prove the identity of the card holder. It also can be a medical card, which
stores the medical history of a person. Furthermore, the smart card can be used as a credit/debit
bank card which allows off-line transactions. All of these applications require sensitive data to be
stored in the card, such as biometrics information of the card owner, personal medical history, and
cryptographic keys for authentication, etc.
In the near future, the traditional magnetic strip card will be replaced and
integrated together into a single card by using the multi-application smart card, which is known as
an electronic purse or wallet in the smart card industry. The smart card is becoming more and more
significant and will play an important role in our daily life. It will be used to carry a lot of sensitive
and critical data about the consumers ever more than before .

Now we can say that

A SMART CARD:-
1-Can participate in an automated electronics transaction
2-Is used primarily to add security and
3-Is not easily forged or copied
4-Can store data securely
5-can host/run a range of security algorithms and functions
This definition will now be applied to a few well known card type to see if they are truly
“SMART”
 HISTORICAL MILESTONE

Although considered a leading edge technology, IC contact cards, an original French invention,
have been with us for over 20 years. Since the 1970s, the history of smart cards has reflected steady
advances in chip capabilities and capacity, as well as increases in the number and variety of
applications.

1970 Dr. Kunitaka Arimura of Japan filed the first and only patent on the
smart card concept.
1974 Roland Moreno of France filed the original patent for the IC card, later dubbed the
"smart card".

1977 Three commercial manufacturers, Bull CP8, SGS Thomson, and Schlumberger
began developing the IC card product.
1979 Motorola developed the first secure single chip microcontroller for use in French
banking.
1982 Field testing of serial memory phone cards took place in France--the world's first
major IC card test.
1984 Field trials of ATM bank cards with chips were successfully conducted.
1986 In March, 14,000 cards equipped with the Bull CP8 were distributed to clients of
the Bank of Virginia and the Maryland National Bank. Also, 50,000 Casio cards
were distributed to clients of the First National Palm Beach Bank and the Mall bank.
1987 First large-scale smart card application implemented in the United States with the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nationwide Peanut Marketing Card.
1991 First Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) smart card project launched for the
Wyoming Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC).
1992 A nationwide prepaid (electronic purse) card project (DANMONT) was started in
Denmark.
1993 Field test of multi-function smart card applications in Rennes, France, where the
Telecarte function (for public phones) was enabled in a Smart Bank Card.
1994 Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) published joint specifications for global
microchip-based bank cards (smart cards). Germany began issuance of 80 million
serial memory chip cards as citizen health cards.
1995 Over 3 million digital mobile phone subscribers worldwide begin initiating and billing
calls with smart cards.

First of 40,000 multi-functional, multi-technology MARC cards with chips were

issued to U.S. Marines in Hawaii

1996 Over 1.5 million VISA Cash stored value cards were issued at the Atlanta Olympics.
MasterCard and Visa began sponsorship of competing consortia to work on solving
the problems of smart card interoperability; two different card solutions were
developed: the Java Card backed by Visa, and the Multi-application Operating
System (MULTOS) backed by MasterCard.
 1998 In September 1998, the U.S. Government’s General Services Administration and
the United States Navy joined forces and implemented a nine-application smart card
system and card management solution at the Smart Card Technology Center in
Washington, DC. The Technology Center's primary purpose is to demonstrate and
evaluate the integration of multi-application smart cards with other types of
technology, showcasing systems available for use in the Federal Government.
Microsoft announced its new Windows smart card operating system.
France began piloting a smart health card for its 50 million citizens.
1999 The U.S. Government’s General Services Administration has been involved in the
Smart Access Common ID Project for the past year. The Smart Access Common ID
Card program will establish a contract vehicle for use by all Federal agencies to
acquire a standard, interoperable employee identification card, from one or more
vendors, capable of providing both physical and logical (system/network) access to
all Federal employees.

PHYSICAL STRUCTURE

This section discusses the physical structure of a smart card and examines the components of
asmart card. It will also discuss all the phases of a card’s life cycle, and explores how the micro
controller handles and transfers data securely from the card manufacturer to the application
supplier and then to the bearer. As a result, we can determine how the data or information
stored on the card can be protected.

There are two main way to distinguish card type . On the one hand it is based on the related
application /Issuer type ,on the other it is the technical features and/or physical characteristics.
As there is close relation between the two –e.g.an ID card for government bearing security feature
in the card body.
In banking there are the standard debit/credit card in –ID-1 format both with similar
characteristics: A multi-layer card body with printed design ,some optional printed security
features, a magnetic strip ,a signature panel ,a hologram and more with a chip .The optical
personalization of the card is either done by embossing or by laser engraving.
New variations include non-standard ISO/IEC7810 cards in smaller sizes(e.g-VISA mini)
or different shapes. With the evolving trend to contactless payment even other form factors have
have shown up like key fobs or modules embedded in the shell of mobile phone. For a card body
which has no security element ,optical personalization is either done by inkjet and thermal transfer printing
or by laser engraving . Mobile phones which takes a complete ID-1 card are long gone ,but even the
ISO/IEC 7810ID -000 plug -in size has already a smaller successor : The Mini –UICC or 3rd
FormFactor(3FF).
Card Type Explanation Size

ID-1 Usual smart card 54,0x85,6mm

Plug-In For GSM 15,0x25,0mm

Mini-UICC For GSM(3FF) 12,0x15,0mm

Visa Mini For Credit/Debit 40,0x65,6mm

 The physical structure of a smart card is specified by the International Standards
Organization (ISO) 7810, 7816/1 and 7816/2. Generally it is made up of three elements. The
plastic card is the most basic one and has the dimensions of 85.60mm x 53.98mm x 0.80mm.
A printed circuit and an integrated circuit chip are embedded on the card. Figure shows an
overview of the physical structure of a smart card.

Fig:- Physical structure of smart card

The printed circuit conforms to ISO standard 7816/3 which provides five connection points
for power and data. It is hermetically fixed in the recess provided on the card and is burned
onto the circuit chip, filled with a conductive material, and sealed with contacts protruding.
The printed circuit protects the circuit chip from mechanical stress and static electricity.
Communication with the chip is accomplished through contacts that overlay the printed circuit.
The capability of a smart card is defined by its integrated circuit chip. Typically, an
integrated circuit chip consists of a microprocessor, read only memory (ROM), no static
random access memory (RAM) and electrically erasable programmable read only memory
(EEPROM) which will retain its state when the power is removed. The current circuit chip
is made from silicon which is not flexible and particularly easy to break. Therefore, in order
to avoid breakage when the card is bent, the chip is restricted to only a few millimeters in size.
Furthermore, the physical interface which allows data exchange between the integrated
circuit chip and the card acceptor device (CAD) is limited to 9600 bits per second. The
communication line is a bi-directional serial transmission line which conforms to ISO
standard 7816/3. All the data exchanges are under the control of the central processing unit
in the integrated circuit chip. Card commands and input data are sent to the chip which
responses with status words and output data upon the receipt of these commands and data.
Information is sent in half duplex mode, which means transmission of data is in one
direction at a time. This protocol together with the restriction of the bit rate prevent massive
data attack on the card. In general, the size, the thickness and bend requirements for the
smart card are designed to protect the card from being spoiled physically. However, this
also limits the memory and processing resources that may be placed on the card. As a
result, the smart card always has to incorporate with other external peripherals to operate.
For example, it may require a device to provide and supply user input and output, time
and date information, power and so on. These limitations may degr ade the security of the
smart card in some circumstances, as the external elements are untrusted and precarious
PRODUCTION AND LIFE CYCLE
There is an operating system inside each smart card which may contain a manufacturer
identification number (ID), type of component, serial number, profile information, and so on.
More important, the system area may contain different security keys, such as manufacturer key
or fabrication key (KF), and personalization key (KP). All of this information should be kept
secret and not be revealed by others.
Hence, from the manufacturer to the application
provider, then the card holder, the production of a smart card is divided into different phases.
Limitation on transfer and access of data is incremental at different phases in order to protect
different areas in the smart card. There are five main phases for a typical smart card life cycle.

MATERIALS

The basic material used for cards is either supplied as foil for laminating or granulate in case of
injection moulding .The classical material used is PVC ,but due to environmental discussion and
higher lifetime requirements as well , other materials gain importance.

Material Advantages(+) / Disadvantage (-)

(+) Low price ,many years of experience ,recycling possible

PVC ( Polyvinyl chloride) (-) Environmental compatibility ,limited thermal stability

PC (Polycarbonate) (+) High temperature stability and mechanical strength ,recycling

possible
(-) High price ,low scratch resistance
ABS ( Acrylonitrile (+ ) injection moulding suitable ,temperature stability ,recycling
butadiene styrene) possible
(-)does not comply with ISO standard ,not classified as
environmentally friendly
PETG (Polyethylene (+) best material regarding environmental compatibility, middle price
terephthalates) ,recycling possible
(-) process not as easy and well –known as for PVC

LIFE CYCLE OF SMART CARD

There is an operating system inside each smart card which may contain a manufacturer
identification number (ID), type of component, serial number, profile information, and so on.
More important, the system area may contain different security keys, such as manufacturer key
or fabrication key (KF), and personalization key (KP). All of this information should be kept
secret and not be revealed by others.
Hence, from the manufacturer to the application provider, then the card holder, the production
of a smart card is divided into different phases. Limitation on transfer and access of data
is incremental at different phases in order to protect different areas in the smart card. There are
five main phases for a typical smart card life cycle. We will discuss each of them below.
FABRICATION PHASE
This phase is carried out by the chip manufacturers. The silicon integrated circuit chip is created
and tested in this phase. A fabrication key (KF) is added to protect the chip from fraudulent
modification until it is assembled into the plastic card support. The KF of each chip is unique and
is derived from a master manufacturer key. Other fabrication data will be written to the circuit
chip at the end of this phase. Then the chip is ready to deliver to the card manufacturer with the
protection of the key KF.

CUTTING
PRE-PERSONALISATION PHASE
This phase is carried out by the card suppliers. In this phase, the chip will be mounted on the
plastic card which may have the logo of the application provider printed on it. The connection
between the chip and the printed circuit will be made, and the whole unit can be tested. For
added security and to allow secure delivery of the card to the card issuer, the fabrication key will
be replaced by a personalisation key (KP). After that, a personalisation lock VPER will be written
to prevent further modification of the KP. In addition, physical memory access instructions will
be disabled. Access of the card can be done only by using logical memory addressing. This
rserves the system and fabrication areas being accessed or modified
 GLUING

PERSONALISATION PHASE
This phase is conducted by the card issuers. It completes the creation of logical data structures.
Data files contents and application data are written to the card. Information of card holder
identity, PIN, and unblocking PIN will be stored as well. At the end, a utilization lock VUTIL will
be written to indicate the card is in the utilization phase.

FINISHED MODULES

UTILIZATION PHASE
This is the phase for the normal use of the card by the cardholder. The application system,
logical file access controls, and others are activated. Access of information on the card will be
limited by the security policies set by the application. This will be discussed in detail in the next
section.
MODULE ON BODY

END -OF -LIFE PHASE

This phase is also known as “INVALIDATION PHASE “ . There are two ways to move the
card into this phase. One is initiated by the application which writes the invalidation lock to an
individual file or the master file. All the operations including writing and updating will be
disabled by the operating system. Only read instructions may remain active for analysis
purposes. The another way to put the card into this phase is that, when the control system
irreversibly blocks access because both the PIN and unblocking PIN are blocked, then all the
operations will be blocked including reads

OUR CARD IS READY TO USE

 Finally, summarizes the conditions and memory accesses of a smart card during the
various phases which are mentioned above

Areas/Phases Fabrication Pre- Personalization Utilizations End-

personalization of-
Life

Access mode Physical addressing Logical addressing

System Not accessible

Fabrication Write KF Write KP Not accessible

(keys)

Fabrication Read, write, Read Read

(data) erase

Directory Read, write, erase According to logical file access

conditions

Data Read, write, erase According to logical file access

conditions

Optional Read, write, erase Not accessible

Table :-Phases and access rights of smart card's life cycle

(Source: Philips DX smart card reference manual, 1995)
 TYPE OF SMART CARDS
In this section we will carry a report on type of smart card .
(a)Magnetic strip cards
(b)Chip cards
(c)Microprocessor Chip cards
(d)Contact –less smart cards

MAGNETIC STRIP CARDS

Magnetic strip cards are widely used in a range of applications. They are low cost and easy to use
(read/write).This type of card is used for credit/debit and financial application.(ATM’s) .
 CHIP CARDS
As the name suggests a chip –card is basically a plastic card that ,rather like the magnetic strip
card that has an electronic chip embedded in it.Historically these cards were easy to identify by
virtual of the contact that where usually gold/silver in colour.A chip card is accessed by placing it
within a card reader which simply makes physical contact with the gold pads,allowing the chip to
be powered and locked and for communication to take place.

Fig:- CONTACTS OF CHIP CARD

MICROPROCESSOR CHIP CARDS

A smart card contain a temper –resistance microprocessor chip(incorporating countermeasures

against known attack)that is difficult to forge or copy.It can participate in automated electronics
transaction ,can store data securely and run/host a range of security protocols algorithms.
The considerations so far has focused on conventional smart cards i.e those that make
use of electrical contact t the chip .However there is growing interest and usage for cards that do
not have physical contact but exploit radio technique instead.

The most common and least expensive smart cards are memory cards. This type of smart
Cards, contains EEPROM(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory),
non-volatile memory. Because it is non-volatile when you remove the card from the
reader , power is cut off, card stores the data. You can think of EEPROM, inside, just like
a normal data storage device which has a file system and managed via a microcontroller
(mostly 8 bit). This microcontroller is responsible for accessing the files and accepting
the communication. The data can be locked with a PIN (Personal Identification Number),
your password. PIN's are normally 3 to 8 digit numbers those are written to a special file
on the card. Because this type is not capable of cryptography, memory cards are used in
storing telephone credits, transportation tickets or electronic cash.

Fig-Microprocessor Card

ROM/RAM contains card operating system and working storage. EEPROM used for data storage

Typical specifications
-8-bit CPU
–Advertised as 16-bit by combining 8-bit register pairs
-16K-32K ROM
-256-512 bytes RAM
-4K-16K EEPROM
–Advertised in bits to make it sound bigger
Size ratio of memory cells:
RAM = 4xEEPROM size
= 16xROM size
•Everything has to be fabbed on the same die.

,
CONTACT-LESS SMART CARD:-

The contactless smart card, in which the chip communicates with the card reader
through RFID(Radio frequency ID) induction technology (at data rates of 106 to 848 kbit/s). These
cards require only close proximity to an antenna to complete transaction. They are often used when
transactions must be processed quickly or hands-free, such as on mass transit systems, where smart
cards can be used without even removing them from a wallet.

The standard for contactless smart card communications is ISO/IEC 14443. It defines two types of
contactless cards ("A" and "B"), allows for communications at distances up to 10 cm. There had
been proposals for ISO/IEC 14443 types C, D, E, F and G that have been rejected by the
International Organization for Standardization. An alternative standard for contactless smart cards
is ISO/IEC 15693, which allows communications at distances up to 50 cm. Transportation
service BEST uses smart cards for bus pass, which predate the ISO/IEC 14443 standard. All of
them are primarily designed for public transportation payment and other electronic
purse applications.

A related contactless technology is RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification). In certain cases, it can
be used for applications similar to those of contactless smart cards, such as for electronic toll
collection. RFID devices usually do not include writeable memory or microcontroller processing
capability as contactless smart cards often do.

There are dual-interface cards that implement contactless and contact interfaces on a single card
with some shared storage and processing. An example is Porto's multi-application transport card,
called Andante, that uses a chip in contact and contactless (ISO/IEC 14443 Type B).
Like smart cards with contacts, contactless cards do not have a battery. Instead, they use a built-
in inductor to capture some of the incident radio-frequency interrogation signal, rectify it, and use it
to power the card's electronics.
Contactless smart cards offer advantages to both the organization issuing the card and the
cardholder. The issuing organization can support multiple applications on a single card,
consolidating an appropriate mix of technologies and supporting a variety of security policies for
different situations. Applications such as logical access to computer networks, electronic
payment, electronic ticketing and transit can be combined with physical access to offer a multi-
application and multi-technology ID credential. The issuer can also record and update
appropriate privileges from a single central location. The organization as a whole incurs lower
maintenance costs over the system life, due to the elimination of mechanical components and
reader resistance to vandalism and harsh environmental conditions. With hybrid and dual-
interface cards, issuers can also implement systems that benefit from multiple card technologies.
CONTCTLESS TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT PHYSICAL ACCESS
CONTROL APPLICATION

There are three primary contactless technologies considered for physical access control
applications: 125 kHz, ISO/IEC 14443, and ISO/IEC 15693 technologies. 125 kHz read-only
technology is used by the majority of today’s RFID access control systems and is based on de
facto industry standards rather than international standards. 125 kHz technology allows for a
secure, uniquely coded number to be transmitted and processed by a back-end system. The back-
end system then determines the rights and privileges associated with that card. Cards that comply
with these standards are intelligent, read/ write devices capable of storing different kinds of data
and operating at different ranges. Standards-based contactless smart cards can authenticate a
person’s identity, determine the appropriate level of access, and admit the cardholder to a
facility, all from data stored on the card. These cards can include additional authentication
factors (such as biometric templates or PINs) and other card technologies, including a contact
smart card chip, to satisfy the requirements of legacy applications or applications for which a
different technology is more appropriate.

Contactless smart card technologies offer security professionals features that can enhance
systems designed to control physical or logical access (i.e., access to networks or other online
resources). Contactless cards differ from traditional contact smart cards by not requiring physical
connectivity to the card reader. The card is simply presented in close enough proximity to the
reader and uses radio frequencies (RF) to exchange information. The use of contactless
technologies is particularly attractive for secure physical access, where the ID credential and
reader must work in harsh operating conditions, with a high volume of use or with a high degree
of user convenience. For example, consider the use of a contactless card to control access to
public transportation. The card can be presented to the reader without having to be removed from
 a wallet or purse. The fare is automatically deducted from the card and access is granted. Adding
funds through appropriate machines at transit centers or banks then refreshes the card. The
process is simple, safe, and accurate.

TYPE OF CONTACTLESS CARD

There are three types of contactless credentials (cards or token)
1 .Memory
2. Wired Logic
3. Microcontroller
Memory cards use a chip or other electronic device to store authentication information. In their
most secure form, memory cards store a unique serial number and include the ability to
permanently lock sections of memory or allow write access only through password-protected
mechanisms. Other than these basic mechanisms, memory cards employ no additional security to
protect their contents. System-level methods can be used to encrypt and decrypt the information
stored on the card.
Wired logic cards have a special purpose electronic circuit designed on the chip and use a fixed
method to authenticate themselves to readers, verify that readers are trusted, and encrypt
communications.Wired logic cards lack the ability to be modified after manufacturing or
programming.
MCU cards implement authentication/encryption methods in software or firmware. Contactless
smart cards with an embedded MCU have more sophisticated security capabilities, such as the
ability to perform their own on-card security functions (e.g., encryption, hardware and software-
based tamper resistance features to protect card contents, biometric verification and digital
signatures) and interact intelligently with the card reader. Contactless MCU cards also have
greater memory capability and run card operating systems (for example, JavaCard or MULTOS).

Both hybrid and dual-interface contactless cards are becoming available. On a hybrid card,
multiple independent technologies share the common plastic card body but do not communicate
or interact with each other. For example, one card could carry a magnetic stripe, bar code, 125
kHz technology, picture ID, contact smart card module and either ISO/IEC 14443 or ISO/IEC
15693 contactless smart card technology. The advantage of a hybrid card is that existing installed
systems can be supported, while new features and functionality can also be offered through smart
card technologies. A dual-interface card includes a single chip with both contact and contactless
capabilities. Contact and contactless technologies can therefore be implemented on one card,
each addressing the application requirements most suited to its capabilities and sharing the same
data.

Hybrid and dual-interface technologies are complementary and, with thoughtful implementation,
transparent to the end user. With current technologies, security system designers can implement
an architecture that includes multiple ID credential technologies. This creates a significant
opportunity for more efficient credential management, improved user convenience, and easier
administration of multiple security policies and procedures. Through the use of the appropriate
card technology, cryptography, and digital signatures, logical access control can be incorporated
into networks and databases. And because the credential is a plastic card, it also supports the use
of pictures, logos, visual inspection information, holograms, digital watermarks, microprinting,
and other security markings to deter counterfeiting and impersonation. A single card is also more
efficient for the user, simplifying coordination for changes, reducing memorization for
complicated passwords or personal identification numbers (PINs), and decreasing the time for
authentication.
BENEFITS OF CONTACTLESS SMART CARD TECHNOLOGY
Contactless smart card technology is ideal for physical access control applications. Because ID
credentials and readers are typically exposed to the elements and have high usage, sealed
contactless technology prevents damage when cards and readers are exposed to dirt, water, cold,
and other harsh environmental conditions. With no mechanical reader heads or moving parts,
maintenance costs are minimized. Finally, with read ranges that can extend to many inches,
contactless technology offers the user the convenience of “hands free” access. The key benefits
of using contactless smart card technology for physical access are summarized below.

– High speed of access and high throughput

–Useable in harsh or dirty environments
–User Friendly
– Less intrusive
– Does not require insertion of the card into the reader
– No issues with orientation of the card
– May be kept in wallet or purse for personal security during use
– Same high level of security as contact smart cards (e.g., digital signatures)
– Protected storage of data on the card
– Flexibility to incorporate multiple applications with different modes
– Contactless only card
– Dual interface contact/contactless card
– Hybrid card that includes 125 kHz technology, 13.56 MHz technology, magnetic stripe,
barcode, hologram, photo, and other card security features.
– Dual interface contact/contactless card that includes 13.56 MHz technology, magnetic stripe,
barcode, hologram, photo, and other card security features.
– Reduced maintenance costs for card readers (as compared to magnetic stripe and contact card
readers)
– Reduced vandalism of readers
– More durable and reliable cards (no external parts that can wear out or be contaminated)
– Well-suited to accommodate local security staffing, training and implementation
– Established international standards (ISO/IEC)
 HOW DOES SMART CARD WORKS

After a smart card is issued to the consumer by the application provider, the protection of the
card will be controlled by the application operating system mainly. Physical addressing mode of
accessing data is no longer available. Access of data has to be done through the logical file
structure on the card. This section will discuss how the operating system accomplishes the
security protection of the data stored on the card by examining the logical file structure and the
corresponding access controls of a smart card.
APPLICATION OF SMART CARD
Main Application
Public phone card (Pre-Paid)
Cellular Phone GSM card
Banking Card (Debit/Credit Card)
Health card
New Application
Electronics Purse
Transportation
Security Of Information
Identity
Retail &Loyalty
Physical Access Control
Satellite TV
IT Access Control
University Identification
Government Identification

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
Telecom Mobile Com. Identity Finance Transport Other

Applications Of smart Card Sector wise

Most of the smart card systems in use today serve one purpose and are related to just one
process. For example, the smart telephone card which makes public telephones convenient,
electronic money which replaces coins and bank notes, the medical card which stores medical
history and insurance information, and the electronic identification card which control access to
data and facilities, etc. All of these applications are stored in different smart card systems
separately, and lead to the same situation and problem as with the traditional magnetic stripe card
system which require users to carry multiple cards for multiple applications.

In fact, as mentioned above, the smart card has the capability to integrate those applications
together to form a multiple application card by utilising its embedded microprocessor and
memory storage spaces. However, this kind of integration is always limited by some of the
external logical elements rather than technical issues. For instance, in single application card
system, data stored in the card or even the card itself always belongs to the card issuer. In the
case of more than one application residing in a single card, this becomes impractical.
Moreover, we also have to consider how to partition the memory spaces for different
applications, and manage the rights and privileges of data accessing. This also relates to data
directory configuration and securities between each of them. Furthermore, the ability for
applications to communicate or share data between each others is another important concern
which may affect the whole design of the system and its operability.

Therefore, based on the natures and purposes of different applications, we discuss three different
kinds of infrastructure of multiple application smart card systems. The first one is minor
applications which co-operate with a dominant application. The second one will be the
integration of multiple applications under a single specification. At last, multiple independent
applications installed on a single card will be taken into an account.
Minor Applications Co-operate With Dominant Application.
While most of the existing smart card applications do not fully utilise both of the memory
storage and processing power of the card, it is feasible to integrate other minor applications
which make use of the existing resources and functionalities of the dominant system together.
This kind of system always requires co-operation between application providers. Figure shows
an overview of this system.
Minor applications co-operate with dominant Application.
Data Directory Configuration and Partitioning

As the minor applications reside under the existing dominant application and co-operate with it,
they should be acted as a subset under the dominant application logically. Figure below shows
the logical view and relationship between applications.

Logical view of applications in this model

Technically, this can be done by placing minor applications under different sub-directories or
functional groups which are below the dominant application directory. Dedicated files (DFs) can
be used to separate and organize applications. Figure displays the structure and organization of
memory spaces inside the smart card.

Fig-Structure and organisation inside the smart card.

Multiple Applications Under Single Specification
In the present days, many card applications serve similar purposes or make use of similar
resources to perform their services, such as different kinds of identification cards or licenses,
different sort of merchant incentive card which stores "points" for frequent purchaser programs,
and credit/debit cards from different financial institutes, etc. These applications are suitable and
feasible to integrate together in order to increase functionality of the card and decrease the
resources spending by sharing common required information such as card holder’s information.
One of the conditions for applications to be united in this system is that they have to be governed
by a single specification or standard under a certain authority.

Fig-Multiple applications under single specification

MORE APPLICATION
All the different identification cards and licenses issued from the government, such as citizen
identification card,driving license, fishing or hunting license, passport, council’s library card,
and etc, can be integrated together under the system discussed here, because they all conform to
a single specification from the government and act as identification purposes. Another example
is the multiple merchant incentives which allow card holders to store "points" for frequent
purchaser programs across multiple merchants. This is workable as most of those programs
require only basic information of the card holder and lower level of security, therefore those
information can be shared together in order to verify the owner. In summary, applications
integrated together under this scheme can reduce the repetitive of resources and facilitate the
management of different applications.
ADVANTAGE :
 Through one card we can use it for several purpose.
 Easy to carry because of small size .
 Easy to operate
 Less Probability of loss of data
 Less Probability of Stoling.
 More Secure
 Globally Use
 Tamper Resistance
 Low Cost
 Easy to Replace
 Economically Benifits

DISADVANTAGE :
Today World is full of techie. So one can not offer perfect security against any technology .The
smart card also suffer from these techie. There is fraud and hacking also found to smart card.In
magnetic strip card , fraud become comman now a day .

Skimming –In this the information from valid card’s magnetic strip is copied to another card for
use in fraudulent automated transactions.

Counterfeiting –Here the plastic carrier /card is very carefully copied ,but the magnetic strip may
be blank or valid .

ATTACK ON SMART CARD

As discussed in all above, the smart card seems to be a superior tool for enhancing system
security and provides a place for secure storage. One of the security features provided by most of
the smart card operating systems, is the cryptographic facilities. They provide encryption and
decryption of data for the card; some of them can even be used to generate cryptographic keys.
The secret of the cryptographic algorithm, the keys stored, and the access control inside the
smart card become the targets of attackers. Nowadays many companies and cryptographers
claime to be able to break the smart card and its microcontroller. Some of them perform logical
non-invasive attacks, some of them attack the card physically while others just prove their
success by mathematical theorems The first two briefly and examine how the attacks are
achieved. For the third one, since their attacks are theoretical and relate to a lot of complicated
mathematical calculations and formulas is not discussed here.
LOGICAL ATTACK:
As all the key material of a smart card is stored in the electrically erasable programmable read
only memory (EEPROM), and due to the fact that EEPROM write operations can be affected by
unusual voltages and temperatures, information can be trapped by raising or dropping the
supplied voltage to the microcontroller. It can see several examples of attacking the smart card
microcontroller by adjusting the voltage are provided.
For example, a widely known attack of PIC16C84 microcontroller is that the security bit of the
controller can be clear with erasing the memory by raising the voltage VCC to VPP - 0.5V. An
attack on DS5000 security processor is another example. A short voltage drop can release the
security lock without erasing the secret data sometimes. Low voltage can facilitate other attacks
as well, such as an analogue random generator used to create cryptographic keys will produce an
output of almost all 1’s when the supply voltage is lowered slightly.
For these reasons, some security processors implemented sensors which will cause an alarm
when there is any environmental changes. However, these kinds of sensors always causes
false alarm due to the occurrence of fluctuations when the card is powered up and the
circuit is stabilising. Therefore this scheme is not commonly used.
PHYSICAL ATTACK:
Invasive physical attacks are typical. Before this kind of attack can be performed, the circuit chip
has to be removed from the plastic card. This can be done by simply using a sharp knife to cut
away the plastic behind the chip module until the epoxy resin becomes visible. And then the
resin can be dissolved by adding a few drops of fuming nitric acid (>98% HNO3). The acid and
resin can be washed away by shaking the card in acetone until the silicon surface is fully
exposed. Ultimately the chip can be examined and attacked directly.
There are many different ways to perform physical attacks. For instance, erasing the security
lock bit by focusing UV light on the EPROM, probing the operation of the circuit by using
microprobing needles, or using laser cutter microscopes to explore the chip, and so on.
However, these kinds of attacks are only available for well funded laboratories as the costs
associated are considerably high. As the technology advances quickly, manufacturers update and
enhance their products constantly. Therefore, as soon as the hackers find ways of hacking the
system, the problems could be solved by the new generation of technology.

THE FUTURE
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