Securing the Internet through Plug-n-Play Smart Cards

摘要

This paper describes the xID technology, a revolutionary architecture that, among other benefits, enables smart cards to be used as two-factor authentication tokens for accessing Internet services. We study the role of conventional smart cards in Internet applications and explain why smart card use has so far not been widespread, and how xID architecture can change that. Various options for plug-n-play protocols in Windows are examined. The choice of USB mass storage protocol in xID framework is explained in the context of its ubiquitous install base on mainstream computers. We describe how xID architecture leverages mass storage to seamlessly blend smart card services into the existing PC infrastructure, while still preserving the portability and hardware security characteristics of smart card. There is no need to install smart card specific drivers or to change the host computer configuration. This unprecedented use of smart card on virtually any PC can open up new smart card based Internet applications.