SMART CARD
A smart card is a plastic card that houses an integrated circuit. Smart cards are also commonly called Integrated Circuit Cards or ICCs. The integrated circuit may be quite simple and serve as memory store or it may be more complex and have the capability to store and execute applications.
To understand exactly what a smart card is and more specifically what a MULTOS smart card is, the following sections list all of the different types of cards that have been used.The list is ordered in approximate chronological order and level of complexity of the card.
Embossed card : An Embossed card is a basic card that has embossed printing on it.These cards have no electrical properties.
Magnetic Stripe cards : Has same physical characteristics as an embossed card but with the addition of magnetic stripe on rear of card. The magnetic stripe is capable of holding data and allowing card to be read by a reader. Problem lies in the ease at which the information stored on magnetic stripe may be read from and written to the cards. Even if information is encrypted and cannot be altered, data from one card can easily be copied to another card.
Memory cards : Has a memory chip embedded within the card. There must also be some additonal logic that allows memory to be accessed.They do not have microprocessors on them. Access logic for a memory card may be complex enough to perform some security functions but the card itself cannot have applications programmed on them. Memory cards will have electronic contacts that are used to communicate with the outside world.
Microprocessor cards : Has microprocessor embedded within it which is capable of manipulating data stored in volatile and non-volatile memory and also of being programmed and applications may be loaded onto the card. Since it has ability to execute a program stored in memory this microprocessor smart card is a computer. A memory card on the other hand is unable to execute such a program.
Multi-application smart cards : A multi application smart card is a more powerful type of the microprocessor smart card. Difference here is in the presence of multiple applications on the smart card that allows a single card to fulfill multiple functions. A MULTOS smart card or MULTOS card is a multi-application smart card that carries the MULTOS operating system.
Contact and Contactless smart cards : Contact smart cards have a physical metallic plate that is used to communicate to the terminal through contact with a reader. Contact smart cards suffer from certain disadvantages. Firstly Contacts are subject to wear and dirt which can make them unreliable. Contacts themselves must be visible on card and therefore interfere with the visual appearance of card. A contactless smart card would have no contacts visible on surface of the card. Secondly contact smart cards may be inserted into terminals and this may not be ideal for all environments. A contactless reader may not need a slot, could operate at distances of a few tens of centimeters and increase the usability of system for the user. Contactless smartcards are more complex and have a more limited communication bandwidth than a contact smart card.
Interface Devices: The hardware used to read and write information off a contact or contactless smart card is known as an interface device (IFD - pronounced IF-D). In terms of a MULTOS smart card this may be a terminal or a smart card reader attached to a PC.
Card Applications: Certainly no smart card is capable of being used without the addition of some external hardware and software. At the minimum a card reader and a simple program to send and receive commands must be present. Traditionally card applications have resided outside of the card on terminal or reader. However microprocessor smart cards allow more of application to reside on smart card itself.
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