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What is a Smart Card?

A Smart Card is a plastic card the size of a credit card with an integrated circuit built into it. This integrated circuit may consist only of EEPROM in the case of a memory card, or it may also contain ROM, RAM and even a CPU.


Most smart cards have been designed with the look and feel of a credit or debit card, but can function on at least three levels (credit - debit - personal information). Smart cards include a microchip as the central processing unit, random access memory (RAM) and data storage of around 10MB.

A smart card is a mini-computer without the display screen and keyboard. Smart cards contain a microchip with an integrated circuit capable of processing and storing thousands of bytes of electronic data. Due to the portability and size of smart cards they are seen as the next generation of data exchange.

Smart cards contain an operating system just like personal computers. Smart cards can store and process information and are fully interactive. Advanced smart cards also contain a file structure with secret keys and encryption algorithms. Due to the encrypted file system, data can be stored in separated files with full security.

Organizations are steadily migrating toward this technology. The days are numbered for a single mainframe used for computing every directive. Today, the delegation of tasks is being transferred to small, but dedicated smart cards. Their usefulness may soon exceed that of the standard computer for a variety of applications due, in part, to their portability and ease of use.

The smart card is an electronic recording device. Information in the microchip can instantaneously verify the cardholder's identity and any privileges to which the cardholder may be entitled. Information such as withdrawals, sales, and bills can be processed immediately and if/when necessary; those records can be transmitted to a central computer for file updating.

Smart cards are secure, compact and intelligent data carriers. Smart cards should be regarded as specialized computers capable of processing, storing and safeguarding thousands of bytes of data. Smart cards have electrical contacts and a thin metallic plate just above center line on one side of the card. Beneath this dime-sized plate is an integrated circuit (IC) chip containing a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile data storage. Data stored in the smart card's microchip can be accessed only through the chip operating system (COS), providing a high level of data security. This security takes the form of passwords allowing a user to access parts of the IC chip's memory or encryption/decryption measures which translate the bytes stored in memory into useful information.

Smart cards typically hold 2,000 to 8,000 electronic bytes of data (the equivalent of several pages of data). Because those bytes can be electronically coded, the effective storage capacity of each card is significantly increased. Magnetic-stripe cards, such as those issued by banks and credit card companies, lack the security of microchips but remain inexpensive due to their status as a single-purpose card. Smart cards can be a carrier of multiple records for multiple purposes. Once those purposes are maximized, the smart card is often viewed as superior and, ultimately, less expensive. The distributed processing possible with smart cards reduces the need for ever-larger mainframe computers and the expense of local and long-distance phone circuits required to maintain an on-line connection to a central computer.

Smart cards are defined by the ISO 7816 standards.

Smart Card Usage
The uses of smart cards are as versatile as any mini-computer. At a hospital emergency room, for example, the card could identify the person's health-insurance carrier and transfer all necessary information from the microchip to an admittance sheet. Tests, treatment, billing and prescriptions could be processed more quickly using the card. Major clinical findings could be added to the medical information section within the microchip.

In the U.S., smart cards are utilized in GSM mobile telephones, in DirecTV and EchoStar satellite receivers, and in the American Express Blue card.

Smart Card Operating Systems
Smart cards designed for specific applications may run proprietary operating systems. Smart cards designed with the capability to run multiple applications usually run MULTOS or Java Card.

Additional Reading on Smart Cards
Hacker's Russia is a good source for tools and deep technical information on smart card hacking.

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How does a Smart Card Programmer work?

A smart card is a mini computer which requires programming to run. A smart card doesn't contain an interface-like display or keyboard, so smart card readers are used to read or update the data to\from smart cards. Smart cards contain an operating system which provides a platform to run applications.


Smart card operating systems can be divided into two categories.

The first kind of operating system is based on the Disk Drive approach. This operating system contains an active memory manager which can load any file or application in the card on demand. The Card Operating System allows for active file allocation and management (JAVA Card OS is an example of this approach).

The advantage of Disk Drive based operating system is that the substitution cost for cards is less expensive, but the start-up costs are higher. This card requires a lager amount of free memory to cope with future application uploads. Due to the heavy use of expensive semiconductors, the cost is higher for these cards. The security infrastructure costs are also higher due to the multiple points of entry to card system functions.

The second approach treats the card as a secure device where, files and permissions to these files are all set by the admin. The only access to the cards is through the operating system. There is no other way to access the file structure. Data can be accessed as per the permissions set by the user. These operating systems can then run your applications. Commands can be passed to the card via the card reader and then the desired application can be accessed through the smart card.

One of the most commonly used smart card operating systems is JavaCard. It provides standard API to load and run java applets directly on a standard ISO 7816 compliant card. JavaCards enable secure and chip-independent execution of various applications.

The following requirement needs to be addressed before starting application development on smart cards:

Smart card reader
Software to communicate with the reader
Software to communicate with the smart card
Smart cards and smart card hardware
Before we address smart card programming, we have to be able to communicate with the reader. Because there are many different cards, there are many different readers. So proper interface implementation should be used for communication.

Once the above setup is complete, programming and application upload can begin utilizing the smart card. JavaCard allows applications to be loaded on demand.

In the early years of smart card development, each software application representing a product on a card was written for a specific card with a specific operating system, which in turn was specific to a hardware application. Sometimes a direct application was also installed without an operating system to make the card very specific to that application. However, the evolution of multiple application operating systems brought about a new era. JavaCard is an open, multi-application operating system for smart cards. Any person can develop applications using Java programming language. The java programs can run independently on the card and can be run on any ISO 7816 compliant smart cards. This way applications from various vendors can be combined, yet remain separate from each other.

The ISO 7816 standard was developed to define the mechanical and electrical characteristics along with the protocol for communication with the card. Unfortunately, the ISO group was unable to baseline a standard for communicating with the reader. So, in order to communicate with the smart card it is required to first understand the commands supported by the card. Then these commands need to be encapsulated into ISO standard commands.

Now, let's take a look of the APIs which allow us to send commands from an application to a reader. The reader communicates with the card where the actual processing takes place. From a technical standpoint, the key is a smart card API. This is a layer of software that allows an application to communicate with smart cards and readers from more than one manufacturer. The API allows the programmers or users the ability to select smart cards from multiple vendors. Running an application on multiple smart cards encourages competition among card vendors and the benefits of that competition include greater quality and lower prices.

The smart card programming API provides an application layer between the smart card and the application interface. The unit of exchange with a smart card is the called as Application Protocol Data Unit (APDU) packet. Communication with the card and the reader is performed using APDUs. An APDU can be considered a data packet that contains a complete instruction for the card or a complete response from a card.

The following are some of the classes provided for transporting APDUs and their function:

Response
Command
ISOCommand
ISOCardReader interface
ISOCardReader
Sun has developed the Java Electronic Commerce Framework (JECF), an extension to the core Java platform that allows developers to easily and rapidly develop electronic commerce applications. JECF provides several classes that easily support communication with smart cards. It can be downloaded free of charge from Sun's website and can be used easily by a smart card programmer.

The smart card application development process includes following steps:

User requirements: What does the user want to accomplish?
Software requirements: Map user requirements to software requirements.
Architectural design: Design the architecture of the solution.
Code Generation: Create code as per the architecture.
Emulation: Use emulators to test the code on virtual card.
In-card Emulation: Run the code on actual card using card reader.
Verification and Validation: It involves the testing.
Final testing and maintenance.

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What is ISO 7816?

ISO 7816 is the internationally accepted standard for smart cards. ISO 7816 is a family of standards primarily dealing with aspects of smart card interoperability regarding communication characteristics, physical properties, and application identifiers of the implanted chip and data.


The ISO 7816 family includes eleven parts which are in a constant state of flux as they are subject to revision and update. ANSI can be contacted to get the latest version of the 7816 standards.

ISO 7816 Standards
ISO 7816-1
The ISO 7816-1 standard specifies the physical characteristics of the card. Physical characteristics of a card includes:
Dimensions
Electromagnetic radiation
Mechanical stress
Location of integrated IC in card
Location of the magnetic strip
Resistance to static electricity
ISO 7816-2
The ISO 7816-2 standard defines the location of contacts and dimensions. It also defines the purpose, location and electrical characteristics of the metallic contacts of the card.

ISO 7816-3
The ISO 7816-3 standard is designed to deal with electronic signals and transmission protocols.

ISO 7816-3 specifies the current and voltage requirements for the electrical contacts which are:

Asynchronous half-duplex character transmission protocol (T=0).
Asynchronous half duplex block transmission protocol (T=1). Smart cards that use a proprietary transmission protocol carry the designation with it.
T=14 includes revision of protocol type selection.
ISO 7816-4
The ISO 7816-4 standard defines the inter-industry interchange commands for the card's CPU. It provides the facility of interoperability across all industries to provide security and transmission of card data. It defines the basic commands for reading, writing and updating of card data.

ISO 7816-5
The ISO 7816-5 standard deals with registration procedure for Application Identifiers (AID) and the Numbering System. It defines the standards for Application Identifiers which has two parts:

Registered Application Provider Identifier (RID) of five bytes that is unique to the vendor.
A variable length field of up to 11 bytes that RIDs can use to identify specific applications.
ISO 7816-6
The ISO 7816-5 standard defines the physical transfer of device and operational data. Two transmission protocols are included in it: character protocol (T=0) or block protocol (T=1). A card may support either but not both simultaneously. If the card is not following any of the standards then it is treated as (T=14)

ISO 7816-7
Structured Card Query Language (SCQL) is given for the inter-industry interoperability of commands for Structured Card Query Language (SCQL). It specifies the standard method to maintain and query the database, it also provides format definitions.

ISO 7816-8
Security operation commands are standardized by this criterion. ISO 7861-8 includes the commands for internal security management of the card and may include encryption techniques and other security management methods.

ISO 7816-9
The ISO 7816-9 standard includes specifications for the commands for card management. The following provides the primary interests of this standard:

Description and coding of security attributes of card related objects
Functions and syntax of additional inter-industry commands
Description and coding of the life cycle of cards and related objects
Data elements associated with these commands
Mechanism for initiating card-originated messages
ISO 7816-10
The ISO 7816-10 standard is designed to address electrical signals and reset signals for synchronous cards. It includes the following:

Signal structures
Power
Structure for the reset signal which is sent between the card IC and the interface device such as a terminal
ISO 7816-11
The ISO 7816-11 standard is meant for personal identification of the user. It may use biometric methods and standards to achieve personal identification.

Other Relevant Industry Standards
Apart from the above standards, some industry specific standards are also generally followed. Some of those industry standards are as follows:

IC Communications Standards
HIPAA - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act adopts national standards for implementing a secure electronic health transaction system
EMV - Europay, MasterCard and Visa formed EMV Company, LLC and created the "Integrated Circuit Card Specifications for Payment Systems"
CEN (Comite' Europe'en de Normalisation) and ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) is focused on telecommunications, as with the GSM SIM for cellular telephones.
FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) was developed by the Computer Security Division within National Institute of Standards and Technology. FIPS standards are designed to protect federal assets including computer and telecommunications systems.

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What is Smart Card Software?

A smart card contains an integrated circuit (IC) chip containing a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile data storage. Data stored in the smart card's microchip can be accessed only through the chip operating system (COS). Smart cards provide a secure, portable platform for "any time, anywhere" computing that can contain and manipulate substantial amounts of data, especially an individual's personal digital identity.


Smart cards are a type of mini computer with an operating system capable of running a variety of applications. JavaCard is a multi-application smart card operating system which provides an API with a set of standard classes through which common java applets can be loaded and executed on the smart card. Java's portability allows smart cards to become a general-purpose computing platform while creating a potentially huge market for application software and development. Due to the increasing demand for smart card applications, businesses and service providers are constantly looking for innovations and applications for available services that could utilize smart card technology.

There are various business interests who provide custom software for smart cards. Smart cards can bring security, convenience and ease-of-use to millions worldwide. With a growing market and technological advances, smart cards can be placed in a wide and growing range of applications from mobile telephony, CRM, rewards programs, as well as the development of next-generation applications and services. Smart cards are playing a growing role in application fields like electronic cash, bill pay, purchase, as well as security and access control.

Contemporary services provided by smart card solutions include:

RFID Tags
Fleet control and management
Student and campus management
Electronic cash (Mondex)
Transportation charge applications
Automatic fare collection applications
Security and access management
Financial services
Affinity programs
Cellular phones
Set-top boxes
Secure network access
Communications applications
Government programs
Information security
Physical access
Transportation
Consumer reward/redemption tracking
Health card
All-purpose student ID card
Other applications of smart cards and JavaCard technology include: mobile communication, mass transit, driving licensing, electronic toll collection, healthcare, information technology, etc

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How does Satellite TV work?

Satellite TV works by broadcasting video and audio signals from geostationary satellites to satellite dishes on the Earth's surface.

These geostationary satellites orbit the earth in a region of space known as the Clarke Belt, which is approximately 22,300 miles above the equator.

Each of these satellites carries a number of transponders. These transponders each carry a signal back to the Earth.

These signals are typically on C Band, Ku Band, or Ka Band. The band of a signal describes, in broad terms, the frequency of the signal.

After travelling over twenty thousand miles, these signals are received by a satellite dish. This dish can be as small as 18" across, or it can be 9' or larger across. The purpose of the dish is to act as a collector and a reflector. The dish collects the signal and reflects it towards the feedhorn.

The feedhorn receives the reflected signal and sends it to the LNB. The LNB amplifies the signal and converts it to a frequency more suitable for transmission over a cable. In satellite terminology, that cable is known as the IFL.

The LNB transmits the signal over the IFL to the satellite receiver. The satellite receiver then sends the signal to your television set.

Digital Satellite TV
Most satellite TV is now encoded digitally. This enables satellite broadcasters to offer more television channels using the same amount of satellite bandwidth.

Satellite TV is available in both standard resolution and in the new ATSC High Definition (HDTV) format.

The digital data is usually compressed with MPEG-2 or a variation thereof. MPEG-4 is beginning to replace MPEG-2 in some satellite networks.

Satellite TV Options
Dozens of vendors operate satellite television networks across the globe. Your options for satellite TV will differ depending upon what country you live in. In addition, some spot beam services only serve specific large cities.

In the United States, the largest satellite TV vendors are Dish Network and DirecTV. Both DirecTV and Dish Network offer programming on the Ku and Ka bands.

In addition, National Programming Service and Superstar offer programming on C Band.

Some free-to-air satellite TV channels are even available at no cost if you have a Free-to-Air receiver.




Books on Satellite TV

The World of Satellite TV The World of Satellite TV places you at the vortex of a dazzling world of entertainment. The ninth edition of this indespensable handbook provides everything you need to know about selecting, installing, operating, and maintaining your own satellite TV system. DBS, HDTV, digital video compression, and other innovations are presented in a down-to-earth manner that is accessible to everyone.

Digital Satellite TV Handbook The Digital Satellite TV Handbook and the accompanying CD-ROM serve as a complete interactive course on the new digital satellite TV technologies. This book provides a comprehensive overview of all the digital satellite TV platforms currently in use world-wide and includes the essential satellite coverage maps and transmission parameters that readers will need to receive digital TV services from any location around the globe. The Digital Satellite TV Handbook presents those aspects of digital video compression and HDTV that are of the highest relevance to installers, technicians, and other satellite professionals working in the global direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV industry. The Digital Satellite TV Handbook analyzes the hardware requirements of digital DTH receiving systems by comparing and contrasting the new digital TV technologies with earlier analog TV transmission systems, so that readers can easily grasp the details required to make the transition from the analog era of yesterday to the new all-digital world of tomorrow.

Satellite TV: Techniques of Analog and Digital Television Satellite TV is part of the lives of millions of TV viewers worldwide and its influence is set to increase significantly with the launch of digital satellite TV services. This comprehensive reference book, written by the author of the highly successful 'Digital Television', provides a technical overview of both analog and digital satellite TV. Written concisely and thoroughly, it covers all aspects of satellite TV necessary to understand its operation and installation. It also covers the evolution of satellite TV, and contains a detailed glossary of technical terms. This book will prove invaluable to those working in the telecommunications field, both professionals and undergraduates alike. It will be particularly useful to those who need to evaluate satellite transmission against other methods, such as digital terrestrial broadcasting. A technical overview of both analog and digital satellite TV.Covers all aspects of satellite TV necessary to understand its operation and installation.Contains a detailed glossary of technical terms.