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Contents :

What is smart card ? Smart Card Components Functional chip of smart card How does a smart card works ? Smart card Technology Categories of Smart Card Smart Card Readers Advantages & Disadvantages Applications Conclusion

Introduction :
Smart cards were introduced in Europe in the beginning of 1990s, basically to reduce theft and fraud in payphones.
WHAT IS A SMART CARD ?

It is like an electronic wallet. A standard credit card sized plastic intelligent token within which Si microchip is embedded. It has a memory & an operating system. Operating system provides standard way of exchanging information. Memory provides the space for storage of data. The chip also contains advanced security features that protects cards data.
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Smart Card Components

Carrier: The basic material of which the card body is made.

Carrier should be :

Resistant to mechanical failure. Able to withstand high temperatures. Cheap

PVC [Poly Vinyl Chloride], ABS [Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene] and PETP [Poly Ethylene Terephthalate] often used.

PVC: All rounder ABS: Brittle but withstands higher temperatures PETP: High flexibility
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Smart Card Components

Contd.

Processor or the CPU Currently all processors are 8 bit ones with CISC (Complex instruction set computing) architecture. Typical Clock Speeds: 5 MHz. Future: Will slowly move to 32 bit architecture due to JavaCards.

Smart Card Components

ROM: Read Only Memory Used for storing fixed programs. Typically varies from 2KB to around 16 KB. Once written, cannot be changed. Occupies the least area. PROM: Programmable Read Only Memory Used for loading card serial number. Very small, typically just 32 bytes.

Contd.

Smart Card Components

Contd.

EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory Used for storing data that might change. Similar to a HDD. Holds various applications and their data. Can be read or written to subject to permissions. Typically varies from 2KB to 32 KB depending on need. RAM: Random Access Memory Used as temporary storage. Erased on power off. Typically varies between 128 Bytes to 512 Bytes.
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Smart Card Components

I/O Interface: Input Output Interface

Contd.

Controls data flow to and from the card.

Flow occurs one bit at a time in a half duplex manner.

Typical Data flow rate is 9600 bits/sec.

Functional chip of smart card :

How does a smart card works ?

CARD IS INSERTED IN THE TERMINAL ATR NEGOTIATES TO SETUP DATA TRANSFER SPEEDS, CAPABILITY TERMINAL SENDS FIRST COMMAND TO SELECT MF CARD GETS POWER ,OS BOOTS UP, SENDS ATR (ANSWER TO RESET) CARD RESPONDS WITH AN ERROR (BECAUSE MF SELECTION IS ONLY ON PASSWORD PRESENTATION) CARD VERIFIES PW,STORES A STATUS PW VERIFIED RESPONDSOK CARD RESPONDS OK CARD SUPPLIES PERSONAL DATA AND RESPONDS OK
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TERMINAL ASKS THE USER FOR PASSWORD

TERMINAL SENDS PASSWORD FOR VERIFICATION TERMINAL SENDS COMMAND TO SELECT MF AGAIN TERMINAL SENDS PASSWORD FOR VERIFICATION

Smart card Technology :

The information or application stored in the IC chip is transferred through an electronic module that interconnects with a terminal or card reader. Two general categories of smart cards according to contactness of card with card reader ;

A. CONTACT SMART CARD It must be inserted into a smart card reader with a direct connection to a conductive gold plated electrical contacts embedded inside it. E.g., GSM SIM CARD in mobile phone.
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B. CONTACTLESS SMART CARD

It requires only close proximity to a card reader Card must have a micro strip antenna. Communicates using RF technology. The card derive power for the chip form electromagnetic signal. Eg: Hong Kong's Octopus card and Japan Rail's Suica Card

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Additional categories :

A. Hybrid card Smart Card has 2 chips each with its respective contact & contact less interface. The two chips are not connected, but for many application this hybrid serves the needs of consumers and card users. B. Dual Interface Card/ Combi Card Card with both contact and contact less interfaces. Security level is very high.

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Smart Card Readers

Smart Card by itself is useless. Requires a reader. Reader is often called the Read-Write Unit as it can read as well as write to the card. Readers of two types:

Insertion Readers: Cheaper, but manual. [Card Swipe Machine] Motorized Readers: Automatic card capture and release. Costly. [Bank ATM Machines]

Cost of a reader varies from $10 to $100. Readers often come with keypad for entry of PIN.

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Advantages :

Proven to be more reliable than the magnetic stripe card . Can store up to thousands of times of the information than the magnetic stripe card. Reduces tampering through high security mechanism. Can be disposable or reusable. Performs multiple functions. Compatible with portable electronic devices (e.g., PCs, telephones)
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Disadvantages :

The biggest problem facing smart cards is security. The first issue is that not all smart cards are in fact secure. The second issue with security involves public perception of the technology. People must believe that the cards are secure. This depends to a great extent upon actual security, but people must also be convinced of it. A third issue concerns who holds responsibility for the card. If the cash balance is wiped clean by a memory failure, who is liable, the person or the bank? If a transaction is not recorded, where are the lines drawn?

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Applications of Smart Card :

Identification Telephony Healthcare Services Registration Certificates Driving License Institute ID Card ATM Shopping Computer Networks
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Contd

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Contd

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Conclusion :
However, smart cards are an indispensable commercial infrastructure in a networked marketplace which combines the functions of purses, credit cards, ID cards, tickets, coupons and tokens with data for personalized settings. The electronic persona in the digital world will be indeed in the form of a smart card and no enterprise solutions should ignore its potential impacts on business.

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References :
[1] http://www.iec.org/online/tutorials/smartcard/topic02.html

[2] http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r10/bombay/news5/SmartCards.html

[3] http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pages/smart-cards-intro-primer [4] http://www.smartcomputing.com/articles/archive/r0403/35r03/35r03.pdfguid= [5] http://home.dei.polimi.it/zanero/papers/security.pdf [6] http://www.citi.umich.edu/projects/smartcard/smartcard_seminar/14.html

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