Welcome to the world smart card.

I have been involved smart card development since 1992. This blog will cover as much as
possible about the smart card chips and
related technologies.

If I can answer any questions you may have or suggestions for this web page, please feel free to
call or Email me.

Smart Card Chips

Jul 20, 2010 Chip Card

Many companies provides a range of smart card solutions and primarily works to provide
solutions for cashless catering in Education – schools, colleges, universities and businesses, and
also to provide turn-key loyalty solutions for all sectors of business, including retail, salon &
beauty and the restaurant and hotel industry.

Unlike standard credit, debit and loyalty cards, that have the ordinary magnetic strip (swipe type
of card) – smart cards use microprocessor chips which are available in 8, 16, and 32 bit
architecture. Prior to embedding, a cavity is formed or milled into the plastic card. Then either a
cold or hot glue process bonds the micro-module to the surface. A smart card’s data storage
capacity ranges from 300 bytes to 32,000 bytes with larger sizes expected soon due to new semi-
conductor technology advances – as their ability to download not just data but applications is
currently being advanced by Sun with JavaCard technology. (see Javaworld).

Smart cards can also use ferro-electric memories which are the latest in recording technology.
Current smart cards carry about 250 kilobytes of memory, which is enough to store substantial
amounts of varied information, like for instance their bearer’s medical history; which can then be
used by doctors, pharmacists or even paramedics in an emergency. Smart cards can also hold
information like: the indentities of pupils in a school, college or university, or of
employees/personnel who work for an organization or company.
As well as being an ID card, a smart card can also be used to pay for goods like: petrol, public
transportation, general retail stock, meals at a restaurant and drinks at a bar. Also un-like the
magnetic strips on credit cards, smartcard memories do not come in contact with their readers
and therefore do not wear out from overuse like magnetic strips do. Users can load smartcards
with cash value(credit) to pay for goods or services: known as an electronic purse. Or they can
collect points in order to receive discounts: known as a loyalty card.

All in all smart Cards have a number of advantages over magnetic stripe cards:

Greater reliability.
Reduction in tampering and counterfeiting – due to high security mechanisms.
Storage capacity is increased by up to 100 times.
Smartcards are multi-functional.
The anticipated working life of a smartcard is ten years compared to that of a magnetic stripe
card at three.
Smart Cards within the next five to ten years will be the industry standard in debit and credit
cards. As the major high street banks and finance houses are now investing in the change over to
smart card technology.
The size of the card is determined by an international standard (ISO 7810). This standard also
defines the physical characteristics of the plastic, such as:

Tolerance to temperature and flexibility.

The position of the electrical contacts and their functions.
How the integrated circuit communicates with the outside world.
There are several types of plastic used for smart cards. The main types are PVC (Polyvinyl
Chloride) and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). PVC can be embossed but is not
recyclable; whilst ABS cannot be embossed but is recyclable.
As part of Smart Card International’s total solution, we can print cards to any customer
specifications. Cards can be personalised with whatever design or logo the company wishes; and
they can be printed on both sides in either single colour or full colour. We also have no minimum
order quantity.

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Smart Card – Wiki

Jul 20, 2010 Smart Card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC), is any pocket-sized card with embedded
integrated circuits. There are two broad categories of ICCs. Memory cards contain only non-
volatile memory storage components, and perhaps dedicated security logic. Microprocessor cards
contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally
polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polycarbonate. The card
may embed a hologram to prevent counterfeiting. Smart cards may also provide strong security
authentication for single sign-on within large organizations.

The following characterizes smart cards:

* Dimensions are normally credit card size. ID-1 of the ISO/IEC 7810 standard defines them as
nominally 85.60 by 53.98 millimetres (3.370 × 2.125 in). Another popular size is ID-000 which
is nominally 25 by 15 millimetres (0.984 × 0.591 in) (commonly used in SIM cards). Both are
0.76 millimetres (0.030 in) thick.
* Contains a tamper-resistant security system (e.g. a secure cryptoprocessor, secure file system)
and provides security services (e.g. protects in-memory information).
* Managed by an administration system which securely interchanges information and
configuration settings with the card, including card hotlisting and application data updates.
* Communicates with external services via card reading devices, such as ticket readers, ATMs
etc.

[edit] Benefits

Smart cards can be used for identification, authentication, data storage and application
processing.[1]

Reader
Contact smart card readers are used as a communications medium between the smart card and a
host, e.g. a computer, a point of sale terminal, or a mobile telephone.

Because the chips in financial cards are the same Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) as in mobile
phones, programmed differently and embedded in a different piece of PVC, chip manufacturers
are building to the more demanding GSM/3G standards. So, for example, although EMV allows
a chip card to draw 50 mA from its terminal, cards are normally well below the telephone
industry’s 6 mA limit. This allows smaller and cheaper financial card terminals.

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USB Smart Card Keyboard

Jul 20, 2010 USB

Introduction

Boost your security, simplify access procedures and reduce the costs associated with managing
networks by preventing unauthorized access to your computers and networks using smartcard
technology with the HP Smart Card Keyboard.

The USB Smart card Keyboard is a full-sized keyboard that takes advantage of digital signatures
and certificates to secure the environment for transactions performed on both public and private
networks. The USB Smart Card Keyboard works with all smartcards that comply with ISO
standard 7816.

Smart Cards are easy-to-use credit card-sized devices which require multiple forms of
information to be validated before you gain access to your accounts or resources. Used
worldwide, smartcards strengthen access to a network or other resource using dual-factor
authentication. Implementing a two-factor authentication (or multi-factor authentication) process
reduces the risk of unauthorized access by verifying and validating your identity in one of the
following ways:

* Something you know – a combination of username and password or pin

* Something you have – a Smart Card or security token.

Something you have (Smart Card) plus something you know (pin), improves user-access security
within corporate network environments. Smart Cards are used in government agencies,
healthcare companies and the finance industry.

HP ProtectTools Smart Card Manager provides authentication software for the Smart Card. The
Smart Card Reader module works with the HP ProtectTools Security Manager and enables the
user to setup, use, and manage the Smart Card. This allows strengthened security with HP
patented technology.
Key Benefits

* Protects against unauthorized access with smartcard technology

* Delivers even greater security when combined with a HP ProtectTools Smart card and the HP
ProtectTools Security Software
* Combination of username and password or pin with a Smart Card or security token
* Secures online transactions using digital signatures and certificates
* Conforms to industry standards for ease of setup and use
* Delivers long product life and quiet operation with high-impact materials and lubricated keys
* Spill drain feature

Compatibility

The HP USB Smart Card Keyboard is compatible with HP Compaq dc5700, dc5750, dx7300,
dc7700 and dc7800 Business Desktops and all HP xw series workstations.