Smart Cards

Biometrics are an authentication technology; smart cards can be a storage, processing, and/or authentication technology. In certain applications, the two technologies compete, such that an institution may deploy smart cards instead of biometrics for access control, or vice versa. Increasingly, the two technologies are deployed in conjunction, strengthening each other's capabilities. 

Typically, biometric data is stored on a smart card. Matching can take place on a local PC or central server, on the reader itself, even within the smart card's internal memory. The result of a biometric match can be to unlock a protected area of a card, such as account information, or to release a card-based PIN or certificate to an external application.

IBG has worked with all major smart card platforms and has a full working knowledge of the key standards and infrastructure issues which frame the use of biometrics in smart card applications. Areas of expertise include the following:

• Java Card, Multos

• EMV, Mondex

• PC/SC, OCF

• ISO 7816-x

• Cryptographic cards: Gemplus, Schlumberger, VISA Cash, Mondex, Proton

• SAM design and implementation 

• Match-on-card architecture

• Card management systems and middleware

• Card issuance and lifecycles

IBG is a founding member of the INCITS M1 Ad Hoc Group on Biometric Interoperability in Support of the Government Smart Card Framework. This technical committee is studying the sufficiency of ANSI/INCITS 358: 2003 and NISTIR-6520-A to support the future biometric interoperability requirements of the Government Smart Card Interoperability Specification NISTIR 6887 (GSC-IS V2.0) and the planned additions through GSC-IS V2.2. The committee will also study whether referring to other existing standards (e.g., FCD 7816-11) can satisfy these interoperability requirements and whether an application profile is needed or extensions to existing standards are needed. The committee will prepare and submit a report on the results of its study to M1, and will also recommend specific changes/edits/additions to the GSC-IS document and the BioAPI specification document for submission in the next revisions. The committee performs its tasks in coordination with the NIST/BC WG and BioAPI Consortium.

Contact IBG to learn how our experience in designing and deploying Smart Card solutions can ensure secure, flexible, standards-based authentication within your logical access, physical access, or identification applications.