Selection of access conditions for portable tokens

• US 8,881,255 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Faher, Mourad
• Primary Examiner(s): Zecher, Dede
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, JEREMIAH L
• Application Number:
  US12/810,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20100293191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,147 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/77 in smart cards

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable token (SC) comprising a capability query mechanism (CQM). The capability query mechanism (CQM) is set to inform entities (PC, MW) willing to communicate with the portable token (SC) of at least a subset of the command(s) (C) available in the portable token (SC). The portable token (SC) is arranged to set a flag when the capability query mechanism (CQM) is invoked. When a command (C) is called, the portable token (SC) enforces first access conditions (AC1) for the command (C) if the flag is set, or second access conditions (AC2) if the flag is cleared.

Claims

1. A portable token (SC) comprising:

a capability query mechanism (CQM), the capability query mechanism (CQM) being set to inform entities (PC, MW) willing to communicate with the portable token (SC) of at least a subset of the command(s) (C) which are supported by the portable token (SC), and a mechanism to set a flag when the capability query mechanism (CQM) is invoked, and, when a command (C) is called, to enforce first access conditions (AC1) to be performed to gain access for the command (C) if the flag is set, or to enforce second access conditions (AC2) differing from the first access conditions and to be performed to gain access for the command (C) if the flag is cleared.

2. The portable token (SC) according to claim 1, wherein the capability query mechanism (CQM) is further set to notify said entities of a first format (F1) for the command(s) (C), and wherein the flag is set only if a command (C) is received with said format (F1).

3. The portable token (SC) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first access conditions (AC1) are more stringent than second access conditions (AC2).

4. The portable token (SC) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the portable token is a smart card, and the command (C) is an ISO 7816-4 compliant command.

8. The portable token (SC) according to claim 3, wherein the portable token is a smart card, and the command (C) is an ISO 7816-4 compliant command.

5. A system comprising:

a portable token (SC) having capability query mechanism (CQM), the capability query mechanism (CQM) being set to inform entities (PC, MW) willing to communicate with the portable token (SC) of at least a subset of the command(s) (C) supported by the portable token (SC), and a mechanism to set a flag when the capability query mechanism (CQM) is invoked, and, when a command (C) is called, to enforce first access conditions (AC1) to be performed to gain access for the command (C) if the flag is set, or to enforce second access conditions (AC2) different from the first access conditions (AC1) and to be performed for the command (C) if the flag is cleared; and

a middleware (MW), the middleware (MW) being set either;

to query the portable token (SC) for its capabilities, the middleware (MW) being thereby requested to comply with first access conditions (AC1) when calling a command (C) of the portable token (SC), or

to call a command (C) without having previously queried the portable token (SC) for its capabilities, being thereby requested to comply with second access conditions (AC2).

9. The system according to claim 5 wherein the capability query mechanism (CQM) is further set to notify said entities of a first format (F1) for the command(s) (C), and wherein the flag is set only if a command (C) is received with said format (F1).

10. The system according to claim 5 or 9, wherein the first access conditions (AC1) are more stringent than second access conditions (AC2).

11. The system according to claim 5 or 9, wherein the portable token is a smart card, and the command (C) is an ISO 7816-4 compliant command.

6. A method for a personal token (SC) to select the access conditions enforced by the personal token (SC) when an entity (PC, MW) calls a command (C) of the portable token (SC), wherein

the entity (PC, MW) invokes a capability query mechanism (CQM) of the portable token (SC) in order to be notified of at least a subset of the command(s) (C) supported by the portable token (SC), thereby enjoying first access condition (AC1) which is to be performed to gain access for the command (C), or

the entity (PC, MW) does not invoke the capability query mechanism (CQM), thereby enjoying second access condition (AC2) differing from the first access condition (AC1) and to be performed to gain access for the command (C).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, in order for the portable token (SC) to enforce the first access condition (AC1) for the command (C), the capability query mechanism (QCM) is further set to notify the entity (PC, MW) of a first format (F1) for the command(s) (C), and wherein the portable token (SC) enforces the first access condition (AC1) only once a command (C) has been called with the first format (F1).