Smart Cards: Technology for Secure Management of Information :Smart Cards: Technology for Secure Management of Information Rajat Moona Computer Science and Engineering IIT Kanpur moona@iitk.ac.in


Agenda :Agenda Machine readable plastic cards What are smart cards Security mechanisms Applications SCOSTA experience Indian Driving License application


Plastic Cards :Plastic Cards Visual identity application Plain plastic card is enough Magnetic strip (e.g. credit cards) Visual data also available in machine readable form No security of data Electronic memory cards Machine readable data Some security (vendor specific)


Smart Cards :Smart Cards Processor cards (and therefore memory too) Credit card size With or without contacts. Cards have an operating system too. The OS provides A standard way of interchanging information An interpretation of the commands and data. Cards must interface to a computer or terminal through a standard card reader.


Smart Cards devices :Smart Cards devices VCC Reset Clock GND VPP I/O Reserved


What’s in a Card? :What’s in a Card? Vcc RST CLK RFU Vpp I/O GND RFU


Typical Configurations :Typical Configurations 256 bytes to 4KB RAM. 8KB to 32KB ROM. 1KB to 32KB EEPROM. Crypto-coprocessors (implementing 3DES, RSA etc., in hardware) are optional. 8-bit to 16-bit CPU. 8051 based designs are common. The price of a mid-level chip when produced in bulk is less than US$1.


Smart Card Readers :Smart Card Readers Dedicated terminals Usually with a small screen, keypad, printer, often alsohave biometric devices such as thumb print scanner. Computer based readers Connect through USB or COM (Serial) ports


Terminal/PC Card Interaction :Terminal/PC Card Interaction The terminal/PC sends commands to the card (through the serial line). The card executes the command and sends back the reply. The terminal/PC cannot directly access memory of the card data in the card is protected from unauthorized access. This is what makes the card smart.


Communication mechanisms :Communication mechanisms Communication between smart card and reader is standardized ISO 7816 standard Commands are initiated by the terminal Interpreted by the card OS Card state is updated Response is given by the card. Commands have the following structure Response from the card include 1..Le bytes followed by Response Code


Security Mechanisms :Security Mechanisms Password Card holder’s protection Cryptographic challenge Response Entity authentication Biometric information Person’s identification A combination of one or more


Password Verification :Password Verification Terminal asks the user to provide a password. Password is sent to Card for verification. Scheme can be used to permit user authentication. Not a person identification scheme


Cryptographic verification :Cryptographic verification Terminal verify card (INTERNAL AUTH) Terminal sends a random number to card to be hashed or encrypted using a key. Card provides the hash or cyphertext. Terminal can know that the card is authentic. Card needs to verify (EXTERNAL AUTH) Terminal asks for a challenge and sends the response to card to verify Card thus know that terminal is authentic. Primarily for the “Entity Authentication”


Biometric techniques :Biometric techniques Finger print identification. Features of finger prints can be kept on the card (even verified on the card) Photograph/IRIS pattern etc. Such information is to be verified by a person. The information can be stored in the card securely.


Data storage :Data storage Data is stored in smart cards in E2PROM Card OS provides a file structure mechanism File types Binary file (unstructured) Fixed size record file Variable size record file


File Naming and Selection :File Naming and Selection Each files has a 2 byte file ID and an optional 5-bit SFID (both unique within a DF). DFs may optionally have (globally unique) 16 byte name. OS keeps tack of a current DF and a current EF. Current DF or EF can be changed using SELECT FILE command. Target file specified as either: DF name File ID SFID Relative or absolute path (sequence of File IDs). Parent DF


Basic File Related Commands :Basic File Related Commands Commands for file creation, deletion etc., File size and security attributes specified at creation time. Commands for reading, writing, appending records, updating etc. Commands work on the current EF. Execution only if security conditions are met. Each file has a life cycle status indicator (LCSI), one of: created, initialized, activated, deactivated, terminated.


Access control on the files :Access control on the files Applications may specify the access controls A password (PIN) on the MF selection For example SIM password in mobiles Multiple passwords can be used and levels of security access may be given Applications may also use cryptographic authentication


An example scenario (institute ID card) :An example scenario (institute ID card) MF EF1 (personal data) Name: Rajat Moona PF/Roll: 2345 EF3 (password) P1 (User password) EF4 (keys) K1 (DOSA’s key) K2 (DOFA’s key) K3 (Registrar’s key) EF2 (Address) #320, CSE (off) 475, IIT (Res) Security requirements: EF1: Should be modified only by the DOSA/DOFA/Registrar Readable to all EF2: Card holder should be able to modify Read: Free Write: upon verification by K1, K2 or K3 Read: Free Write: Password Verification (P1) Read: Never Write: Password Verification (P1) Read: Never Write: Once What happens if the user forgets his password? Solution1: Add supervisor password Solution2: Allow DOSA/DOFA/Registrar to modify EF3 Solution3: Allow both to happen EF3 (password) P1 (User password) P2 (sys password) Select: P2 verification


An example scenario (institute ID card) :An example scenario (institute ID card) MF EF1 (personal data) EF4 (keys) EF2 (Address) EF3 (password) DF1 (Lib) EF1 (Issue record) EF2 (Privilege info) Max Duration: 20 days Max Books: 10 Reserve Collection: Yes Modifiable: By issue staff. Read all Modifiable: By admin staff. Read: all EF3: Keys K1: Issue staff key K2: Admin staff key Library manages its own keys in EF3 under DF1 Institute manages its keys and data under MF Thus library can develop applications independent of the rest.


How does it all work? :How does it all work? Card is inserted in the terminal Card gets power. OS boots up. Sends ATR (Answer to reset) ATR negotiations take place to set up data transfer speeds, capability negotiations etc. Terminal sends first command to select MF Card responds with an error (because MF selection is only on password presentation) Terminal prompts the user to provide password Terminal sends password for verification Card verifies P2. Stores a status “P2 Verified”. Responds “OK” Terminal sends command to select MF again Terminal sends command to read EF1 Card supplies personal data and responds “OK” Card responds “OK”


Another Application Scenario :Another Application Scenario Terminal withtwo card readersApplicationsoftware runshere User’s card Banker’s card The terminal itself does not store any keys, it’s the two cards that really authenticate each other. The terminal just facilitates the process. 1. Authenticate user to bank officer card: 1a. Get challenge from banker card. 1b. Obtain response for the challenge from passport (IAUTH). 1c. Validate response with officer card (EAUTH) 2. Authenticate officer card to passport. 3. Transfer money to the user’s card


Status of smart card deployments :Status of smart card deployments Famous Gujarat Dairy card Primarily an ID card GSM cards (SIM cards for mobiles) Phone book etc. + authentication. Cards for “credit card” applications. By 2007 end all credit cards will be smart. EMV standard Card for e-purse applications Bank cards Card technology has advanced Contactless smart cards, 32-bit processors and bigger memories JAVA cards


SCOSTA Experience :SCOSTA Experience Part of E-governance initiative of the Government. Government decided to Create Smart driving licenses/registration certificate Backend system is already in place Various smart card vendors in the country All with their own proprietary solutions In a national case, proprietary solution was not acceptable. NIC decides to ask IIT Kanpur to help. SCOSTA: Smart Card OS for Transport Applications


Goals of this Project :Goals of this Project To define a standard set of commands for smart cards for use in Indian applications. To provide a reference implementation of this standard. Transport Applications (Driving License and Vehicle Registration Certificate) were the pilot projects. Hence the OS standard is named SCOSTA. SCOSTA is defined by IIT Kanpur along with a technical subcommittee of SCAFI (Smart Card Forum of India). The OS is not really restricted to the transport applications and can be used in any ID application


The SCOSTA Standard :The SCOSTA Standard Based on ISO 7816-4, -8, and -9. Removes ambiguities in ISO 7816. Has support for symmetric key cryptography (Triple DES algorithm) and internal and external authentication. Encryption/decryption and crypto checksum computation and verification using 3DES are also supported.


SCOSTA Implementation - Challenges :SCOSTA Implementation - Challenges Portability – should be easy to port to different processors. Resource Constraints – very limited memory (32 KB ROM, 512 byte RAM are typical). Usually 8 bit processors are used. Government processes Vendors and their business interests.


Challenges of the application :Challenges of the application System must work nation wide Cards are issued by the RTO RTO officials may not be all that “clean” Challans are done by police “on behalf of” RTO “Clean”?? Challans are settled by the Judiciary. RTOs are administered by the STA But under the Union Ministry


Solution :Solution A robust key management scheme was needed. Solution was based on Key derivations, usage counters etc.


Solution :Solution The entire system is based on few “nation wide” generator keys. Safely housed with the government. Say the keys are k1, k2, k3, k4. Keys are themselves never stored any where. Instead five out of seven card scheme is used.


5 out of 7 scheme :5 out of 7 scheme Consider a polynomial k1 + k2.x + k3.x2 + k4.x3 + k5.x4 = b If b1, b2, b3, b4, b5 are known for x = 1, 2, 3.., the system of equations can be solved and all k’s can be found. We use the SCOSTA cards to store (x1, b1), (x2, b2) etc. At any point in time, five such pairs are needed. For robustness, seven cards are generated and kept at 7 different locations.


Operations :Operations At RTOs, two RTO officers are required to create a DL These two work in pair. Have a usage counter of key built in. RTO keys are generated and given in the RTO cards STA can revalidate the usage counter. STA keys are also generated.


Operations :Operations DL can be completely given by the RTO. Some information is public readable on the DL. Some information is once writable by the police (challans) and readable by the police. The same information is updatable by the judiciary. (but can not be deleted)


Operations :Operations Therefore the DLs must carry Police key, RTO keys and judiciary keys. A big security risk. Instead these keys for the DL are card specific. Police has a master key to generate DL specific police key. Ditto with RTO and Judiciary. NIC generates the cards (and therefore master keys) for RTO, Police and Judiciary.


Current State :Current State DL/RC are being issued in Calcutta, Delhi on SCOSTA cards (pilot basis) Governments such as Jharkhand, Maharastra, Gujarat, WB have already started the process rolling. Various other states will follow.


Acknowledgements :Acknowledgements Prof. Deepak Gupta and Manindra Agrawal (CSE) S. Ravinder and Kapileshwar Rao (MTech students of CSE who worked on this project) National Informatics Centre (NIC) Delhi MCIT and MoST References: Smart Card Handbook ISO7816 standards www.parivahan.nic.in