Daniel Castro, of the Center for Data Innovation and the Information Technology Innovation Foundation, recently penned an opinion piece in The Hill asserting that secure smart card Chip & PIN is old and outdated technology.” Castro could not have been more wrong. In the smart card security utility, a user initializes and configures the smart card and sets up the computer to work with HP Smart Card security. Users can add other layers of security, such as fingerprint scanners and encrypted passwords, to further elevate the security protection on the computer. External RFID smart card readers can be standalone devices, or they may be built into other devices, such as keyboards.
Also, RFID smart card readers are called Card Accepting Devices ( CAD ). Computer smart card readers are included on most computers that come equipped with smart card security technology. For computers with no built-in smart card reader, external smart card readers attach via Universal Serial Bus (USB) or serial port to provide smart card access to the computer.
His work computer is equipped with a USB smart card reader and he uses a card to boot up the computer. The HP Smart Card sounds cool in theory, but I don’t think it would be very practical for the average computer user. All of these deployments see the use of smart card technology as an essential element for the integrity of their credentialing schemes.
Smart cards are portable, personal security devices that can securely carry sensitive information, enable secure transactions, validate an individual’s identity within a secure system, and verify that an information requester is authorized to access the information carried on the card. Smart cards not only maintain the integrity of the information stored on the card, but also make it available for secure interactions with the overall system. The smart card itself is only one component in a smart card-based system implementation.
Security mechanisms are typically implemented in the card and at the operating system , software, and system levels, providing layers of security to protect the system and information within the system from unauthorized access. In any smart card system implementation, the issuer needs to determine the risks that the system will be exposed to and implement the security measures necessary throughout the system to address those risks. The Payments Council is one of several Smart Card Alliance technology and industry councils.
