1. Smart Card
Summary:
A smart card, typically a type of chip card, is a plastic card that contains
an embedded computer chip–either a memory or microprocessor type–that stores
and transacts data. This data is usually associated with either value, information, or
both and is stored and processed within the card's chip. The card data is transacted
via a reader that is part of a computing system.
Smart cards improve the convenience and security of any transaction.
They provide tamper-proof storage of user and account identity. Smart card
systems have proven to be more reliable than other machine-readable cards, like
magnetic stripe and barcode, with many studies showing card read life and reader
life improvements demonstrating much lower cost of system maintenance. Smart
cards also provide vital components of system security for the exchange of data
throughout virtually any type of network. They protect against a full range of
security threats, from careless storage of user passwords to sophisticated system
hacks. The costs to manage password resets for an organization or enterprise are
very high, thus making smart cards a cost-effective solution in these environments.
Multifunction cards can also be used to manage network system access and store
value and other data.
The smart cards are in using today in various applications, including
healthcare, banking, entertainment, and transportation. All applications can benefit
from the added features and security that smart cards provide.
2. Introduction:
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC) is any pocket-
sized card with embedded integrated circuits. Smart cards are made of plastic.
Since April 2009, a Japanese company has manufactured reusable financial
smart cards made from paper. Smart cards can provide identification,
authentication, data storage and application processing. Smart cards may
provide strong security authentication for single sign-on (SSO) within large
organizations.
Why Smart Cards?
Enhanced security
Offline transactions
Multifunctional
Customization
Economical
Portable
Applications of Smart Card
Payment System
Smart Networking
National ID / Authentication
University Identification
Financial Applications
Retail & Loyalty
Communication Applications
Transportation
Health
Multimedia / Pay TV
3. Methodology:
Smart cards are electronic devices with a striking resemblance to
credit cards, although with a broader range of applications and higher security
levels. Typical credit cards are basically all plastic. On credit cards information is
stored on a magnetic strip similar to that of the magnetic tape inside audio
cassettes, which makes the read/write operations relatively simple.
The disadvantage of typical credit cards is that most of the
information must be stored in online mainframe computer networks, where it is
also verified and processed.
Study:
Security:
Smart cards provide computing and business systems the enormous benefit
of portable and secure storage of data and value. At the same time, the integration
of smart cards into your system introduces its own security management issues, as
people access card data far and wide in a variety of applications.
In implementing a security system, all data networks deal with the
following main elements:
Hardware, including servers, redundant mass storage devices, communication
channels and lines, hardware tokens (smart cards) and remotely located devices
(e.g., thin clients or Internet appliances) serving as interfaces between users and
computers.
Software, including operating systems, database management systems,
communication and security application programs
Data, including databases containing customer - related information.
4. Personnel, to act as originators and/or users of the data; professional personnel,
clerical staff, administrative personnel, and computer staf
Digital Signature:
For government organizations where privacy and security of data is part
of the daily routine, smart card IDs are a common way to manage access to both
online and physical resources through controlled access to computer networks and
systems, buildings and spaces. In a continuing effort to do more with less,
innovators in the public sector have found another way to increase their return on
investment in Common Access Cards (CAC) and Personal Identity Verification
(PIV) smart cards by adding a digital signature application on top of access control
capabilities.
Analysis:
Digital signature: in order to implement this application, the card will need
to have a crypto processor. This requirement greatly reduces the number of
cards that we can choose from.
Operating system: the operating system must support the cryptographic
processor and multiple applications.
The new smart card will have a magnetic stripe in the back. The content of
the stripe will be the same as it is in the existing cards. There will be a
transition period in which the employees will have the new card, but the
readers will still be the existing ones.
5. Conclusion:
Smart cards can add convenience and safety to any transaction of value and
data. Smart cards can be used for identification, authentication, and data storage.
Smart card can provide strong authentication for: single sign- on or enterprise
single sign- on to computers, laptops, data with encryption, enterprise resource
planning platforms such as SAP, etc
Recommendations:
We want to develop a smart card technology for better accuracy in voting
system.
We can also use smart card technology to provide a government services.
We can also use the smart card technology like,
o Oyster card, London for transport
o Octopus card, Hong Kong for electronic payments
References:
http://google.com
http://wiki.answers.com
http://wikipedia.com
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