Smart Cards

PKI Workshop
11 October 1999
Vance Vaughan
vance@uclink.berkeley.edu

The buzz!  According the the Wall Street Journal:

	American Express Blue
		"...comes with software, which when installed on a PC,
		automatically fills out troublesome internet shopping forms...
		Blue requires members to use a home card swiper, which is
		provided free by Am Ex..."

	Gemsafe
		"The card, outfitted with a tiny antenna, zaps a wireless
		message to the thermostat telling it to match the rooms
		temperature with your climate preference stored on the card's
		memory chip."

What's available off-the shelf:

	Gemsafe
		$99 list gets you a reader, card and software; sold on the web
		4 cards for $70
	
	Litronic
		About the same; not sold on the web.

	What they get you:
		Store 1 certificate for use by Netscape or Internet Explorer.
		Have to install software.
		Have to be careful to get it to operate in Netscape and
		Internet Explorer simultaneously.

Now:
	8-bit processor, 4K byte EEPROM

Coming 4th Qtr 99:
	Litronix / Forte: 32 bit processor, 32K ROM, 32K EEPROM

Also available:
	Java Ring
		$12 32K ROM, $24 64K ROM, $65 ring, $15 reader

	"dongle"
		Connects to the USB port (doesn't require a "reader").
		Don't know the price, can't get them to talk to me
		allegedly hold 3 certs per device.

CAL Card et al:
	Control access to buildings, meals, laundry facilities -
	all with a mag stripe!

It's time to start learning about smart cards and experimenting with them!

Many shows:
	SAGE99 (SmartCard Applications in Government and Education) - 25,26 Oct SF
	Cards on the Net - 30 Nov - 2 Dec SF