Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

New NXP security chip breaks speed record for e-government transactions

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

NXP Semiconductors says its newest security chip processes transactions twice as fast, 3.5 seconds, as the current industry standard for contactless smart card chips. The SmartMX, the P5CD081, also features Secure Fetch technology, providing enhanced protection against attack scenarios with light and lasers (so-called fault attacks).


NXP is involved in more than 85% of all e-passport schemes with 51 out of 60 countries using NXP smart chip technology including the U.S., France, Germany and Singapore.

The P5CD081 dual interface smart card controller addresses the needs of advanced e-government applications requiring enhanced security, more data and faster transmission rates. The strong computing capabilities of the new SmartMX chip doubles authentication speed, accelerating e-passport transaction times at border controls. In recent tests the P5CD081 set a new industry benchmark by running the extended access control (EAC) e-passport operation with the complete citizen dataset, including fingerprints, in only 3.5 seconds. Due to its fast performance, the chip is also specifically suited for sophisticated e-ID applications, such as secure electronic signatures for transactions via the internet.

For existing customers, the P5CD081 is compatible with previous SmartMX chips, retaining the existing IC platform while adding a faster CPU, allowing customers to leverage their existing designs on the latest SmartMX chip, without the need for bigger adaptations on their operating system.

The new SmartMX supports ICAO standards, enabling the implementation of BAC (basic access control) and EAC (extended access control), and includes an embedded crypto co-processor compliant with the European Citizen Card requirements. [end] 

The December meeting of the influential Government Smart Card Interagency Advisory Board (IAB) was recently held in Washington D.C. FIPS201.com was on hand to cover the event and has provided, as a service to the IAB and the smart card community, an audio recording of the presentations. Click on the link below to access a list of audio and accompanying PowerPoint slides (in pdf format).

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VingCard Elsafe announced new enhancements to the electronics and lock control units of its best-in-class RFID locking systems specifically designed for applications hospitality, hotel and resort security.

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Visa Europe is anticipating a big year for contactless and NFC payments, with issuance projected to leap from 30 million in 2011 to 50 million in 2012.

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British Columbia is moving forward with plans to upgrade its CareCard program. According to The Vancouver Sun, the new card will provide access to a variety of regional services including electronic health records, driver license and school registration for children.

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Human recognition Systems announced a partnership with the Olive Group, a provider of safety, security and technology solutions, that will see the Olive Group distributing HRS’s solutions in the Middle East and North Africa regions.

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The U.S. Government Printing Office designed and printed an FBI special events credential that was used at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis by public safety personnel.

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