Identification using integrated-circuit cards in credit card format with a built-in microcontroller (smart cards) is examined. The process by which the terminal's card adapter device verifies the authenticity of the smart card, called cryptographic node authentication, is examined. The methods used for node authentication, all of which are based on interrogation protocols, can be divided into the following categories on the basis of their fundamental cryptographic principles: challenge response with symmetrical key algorithms; challenge response with trapdoor public key algorithms; and zero-knowledge-based protocols. The various methods are described and compared, and the outlook for standardization is assessed.
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