Storage devicesSmart card is one of the latest additions in the world of Information Technology. Smart card is a small electronic device of the size of a credit card which usually contains a memory chip or microprocessor embedded in it. Some smart card also contains an embedded Integrated Circuit(IC). The cards, containing an IC are called as Integrated Circuit Cards (ICCs).
Typically, smart card is a type of chip card that contains an embedded computer chip – either a microprocessor or memory type which stores and transacts data. The data is generally associated with either information, value or both and is stored as well as processed within the chip of the card. When a smart card contains only memory elements, it is called as memory card.
Smarts cards can have up to 8 KB of RAM, 256 KB of programmable ROM, 346 KB of ROM and even a 16-bit microprocessor. It uses a serial interface and gets its processing power from external sources like a card reader. The card data is transacted through a reader which is part of a computing system. When a smart card is coupled with a card reader, it uses processing power to serve different applications. Smart card can be attached to a personal computer with the help of card reader to authenticate a user.
Smart cards offer more security and confidentiality than other transaction storage devices. The microprocessor embedded in the smart card under a gold contact pad is used for security. The card reader and host computer interacts with the microprocessor. A smart card is a safe place to store valuable information like account numbers, private keys, passwords or some personal information.
Smart cards have such computational or processing power that provides greater security by allowing verification of the cardholder. Entering the PIN is a method of verification whereas biometrics is another. It is the benefit of smart card that you can verify the PIN with security as well as off-line. Like an access-control device, the smart cards make business as well as personal information available only to authenticate users. It’s one more application provides users an ability to make a purchase or exchange value.
The smart card has a variety of applications which includes identification cards, payment cards, access-control cards, insurance cards, cards for public transit, and the SIM cards of cell phones. SIM cards are found in almost every cellular telephone on the market.
Smart cards provide convenience, data portability and security of any transaction. It has proven to be more reliable than any other machine-readable card such as magnetic stripe or barcode. They also provide vital components of system security for data exchange throughout any type of network.
