Newsletter October2009

LEGIC - Combining the worlds of logical and physical access on one single Smart Card Chip with LEGIC card-in-card solutions

LEGIC card-in-card solutions allow integrating applications on virtual LEGIC advant transponders into contactless or dual interface Smart Cards provided by third parties.

This allows a combination of logical PC access and physical access control on one single Smart Card. This means, for example, that mobile phones can also operate as an access control credential, or credit cards be used as multi-functional membership cards.

Typical contactless multi-applications – such as physical access control, time and attendance or cashless payments – can be easily combined on a single chip with logical PC access or with credit cards, and extended as required. This further development in card-in-card technology will enable LEGIC to meet growing market demand for converged access solutions.

This flexible combination of contactless applications on any credential opens up a number of opportunities to combine the proven LEGIC applications with third party applications. Card-in-card technology can be transferred in no time onto any credential, including Smart Cards from third parties. Hybrid cards, which have both a contact-based and a contactless chip, are no longer needed.

The ability to integrate contactless applications in mobile phones or dual-interface cards opens up endless possibilities. As over 100 different applications are combinable such as e.g. access control or cashless payment applications. LEGIC card-in-card solutions offer great comfort and high security to end-users.

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Fujitsu RFID chip using state-of-the-art Ferroelectric Memory technology

Fujitsu has successfully mastered the manufacturing know-how for the next generation high performance non-volatile memory using ferroelectric process technology. Fujitsu started mass production since 1999 and is now in our 10th year of supplying FRAM to the merchant market. Leveraging the inherent properties of FRAM such as fast writing speed, high endurance and low power, Fujitsu has designed several RFID chips using FRAM. FRAM-based RFID has various prominent advantages over the conventional E2PROM-based RFID.

Fujitsu focuses on high performance and larger memory RFID which supports many read/write operations. Fujitsu’s RFID chip will be suitable for applications such as portable data storage in addition of just being a simple ID code. More useful information can be read from the RFID directly without accessing to the back-end database system. For instance, meaningful information, product description, critical information like maintenance care, expiration date, etc. can be read off-line with a handheld reader.

FRAM has also exhibited strong tolerance to radiation. Its radiation hard properties has been independently tested and verified by various companies. This opens up a new array of applications like medical and pharmaceutical usage where radiation sterilization will be required.

Fujitsu RFID Product Offerings:

Fujitsu has also implemented custom command above the ISO standard commands. It enables additional flexibility to data communications with the reader/writer. For example, Fujitsu’s custom command can offer multiple block transfers for speed read or write to the large memory space in the chip.

The new MB97R8030 UHF class 1 Gen 2 chip is compliant to the EPC Global Gen 2 specification. However, it extends beyond the standard EPC product code to allow users to store up to 2000 bytes of information. An additional SPI interface offers an alternate means for accessing the FRAM from the usual radio interface.

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LA Metro selects NXP’s MIFARE Plus Microcontroller IC for Ticketing: Contactless TAP card will feature best-in-class security and easy upgrade capabilities

Eindhoven, The Netherlands, June 1, 2009 – NXP, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, today announced that Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) is the world’s first transport operator to implement NXP’s MIFARE Plus contactless technology for its automatic fare collection infrastructure. LA Metro, which already uses a MIFARE Classic-based system, is upgrading the Transit Access Pass, or TAP card, to include MIFARE Plus microcontroller smart card ICs. On an annual basis, LA Metro attracts approximately 480 million boardings in the Greater Los Angeles Area*, and all passengers can enjoy convenient tap-and-go transport and a contactless ticketing system delivering advanced chip security features, provided by MIFARE Plus.
“LA Metro’s chief goal is to provide mass transit riders with a hassle-free traveling experience based on leading contactless technology that is both easy to use and robust,” said Jane Matsumoto, Deputy Executive Officer, LA Metro. “Security is a key element of our system, and NXP’s MIFARE Plus has proven to meet all our demands related to security features and superior scalability. With MIFARE Plus, LA Metro is implementing a transport ticketing system that provides outstanding convenience to our passengers, while also anticipating system security requirements for the future.”

MIFARE Plus is the latest addition to NXP’s market-leading MIFARE family of contactless technologies used in transport networks and access management worldwide. MIFARE Plus meets the highest industry standards in performance and security, including 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptology and an easy migration path from existing MIFARE Classic infrastructures.
“Working with LA Metro in one of the most populated cities globally is a strong endorsement to the high standards NXP places on delivering leading contactless solutions to the market,” says Henri Ardevol, general manager, automatic fare collection, NXP Semiconductors. “In addition to its backwards compatibility into existing MIFARE systems, MIFARE Plus features open standards encryption in a very cost effective solution ideally suited for mass transit.”

Migration planning is made easier as MIFARE Plus supports the pre-issuance of new cards; coexistence of current and new cards; and software-based infrastructure upgrades. After upgrading the system infrastructure, service operators can easily switch MIFARE Plus-powered cards in the field to a higher security level without the need to revoke or re-issue the cards. MIFARE Plus contactless technology comprises a number of additional security and privacy features which, when used optimally in the infrastructure, provide a system that prevents individuals from being identified and tracked by others. It is targeted to receive Common Criteria EAL 4+ certification and complements NXP’s leading range of contactless technologies, such as MIFARE DESFire and SmartMX, which are already providing superior levels of performance and security in the automatic fare collection, access management, eGovernment and banking markets.

NXP MIFARE Plus is based on open global standards both for air interface and cryptographic methods. It is available in two versions: MIFARE Plus S, the Slim version, for straightforward migration of MIFARE Classic systems, and MIFARE Plus X, the eXpert version, which offers more flexibility to optimize the command flow for speed, privacy and confidentiality. MIFARE Plus X offers a rich feature set, including proximity checks against relay attacks.

MIFARE Plus is fully functional backwards compatible with MIFARE Classic 1K / 4K. Interoperability with MIFARE Classic has been verified by the independent MIFARE Certification Institute. MIFARE Plus offers the possibility to issue cards seamlessly into existing MIFARE Classic applications, before the infrastructure is upgraded. Once the security upgrades are in place, MIFARE Plus cards can be switched to a more secure mode in the field with no customer interaction necessary. AES (advanced encryption standard) is then being used for authentication, encryption and data integrity. MIFARE Plus supports high-speed communication between card and terminal at up to 848 kbps/s, for time critical services. The read range of up to 10 cm increases the convenience of the touch-and-go experience.

Security levels
A MIFARE Plus card supports one pre-personalization and 3 security levels. Cards operate in one security level at any given time and can only be switched to a higher level.
An automatic anti-tear mechanism is available for secure deployment of rolling keys. If a card is removed from the field during a key update, it either concludes the update or automatically falls back to the previous key. NXP recommends 7 Byte UID, but offers 4 B UID versions of MIFARE Plus during migration. MIFARE Plus is available in the proven MOA4 module and as sawn bumped wafers, no changes for existing manufacturing processes necessary.
For benchmark security on the reader side, the MIFARE SAM AV2 (secure application module) is available. The Common Criteria 5+ certified IC includes all MIFARE Plus commands, secure key storage and AES calculation for a reader device. To support the design-in process for reader manufacturers and solutions developers, NXP provides MIFARE Plus documentation, application notes, and software toolkits.

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