Smart card (ICC) - is a plastic card with an integrated chip that incorporates confidential information about its owner, a separate system user. The main purpose of this card - is authentication of users and holding cryptographic operations in a trusted environment. Unlike systems with passwords, ICC provides the highest level of security thanks to a unique PIN-code, provides access to the data.
As the field of the smart card is quite large (the banking system, the system of individual access, telecommunication and transport services), there is a need for special equipment to read the data and their subsequent transfer to a computer. For the performance of the complete cycle of reading the smart cards are responsible drivers, reader smart card, which allows you to perform a full range of data operations.
Nowadays, the smart card presents a wide range of versions with a unique functionality and the type of connection to the reader. By the method of communicating with the reader all cards are divided into contact (USB or ISO 7816) and contactless type.
The functionality of the smart card can be divided into intellectual and storage: first equipped with a microprocessor, which allows you to manage the information on the card, and the second - the mechanism of differentiation of the stored data.
Connecting the equipment to your PC / ATM / vending machine is carried out by means of a PCMCIA slot or serial bus USB. Moreover, the "reader" may be integrated directly into the keyboard, but for their capacity to be constantly updated and download system device drivers for reading the smart card.