The National Smart Card Project
Following the success of the Cornish Key Card, SCS was employed by Cornwall County Council to provide core components for SmartConnect, the National Smart Card Project Starter Kit. SmartConnect contains all the elements a local authority might require to launch its own scheme. The role of SCS was to produce all the on-card applications as well as a number of off-card system components:

Consultancy

SCS provided consultancy in a number of areas to National Smart Card Project WP9:

• E-purse options available. Several documents describing the advantages and disadvantages of purse solutions using EMV, CEPS and bespoke options.
• Definition of a standard set of citizen data and mechanisms for storing and displaying local government services in a generic way
• Specific support for New Starters implementing schemes before the availability of SmartConnect in April 2004. For Chester and Suffolk, SCS provided an early version of some of the applications to support a limited range of services. Besides the standard citizen data, these include the health, blood donor and leisure services.

 

Card Software

SCS developed a suite of software for the National Project Starter Kit:

• The Generic File Application. This applet was specifically designed to provide maximum flexibility and economy in the support of card functions and services. The applet provides a core of library routines that can be used by other applications, and a file structure that allows easy and secure access to data whether it resides in the Java or Mifare™ memory areas.
• Common Cardholder Database Application. This software provides the interface to the specific citizen services and data on the card.
• The ITSO application. This is a Format Version Code 2 implementation of the ITSO specifications which will allow the migration of contactless transport applications away from proprietary Mifare™ standard.
• PKI application. SCS worked with Cornwall County Council to define their PKI requirements. This application conforms to the PKCS#15 standard.
• E-purse application. SCS wrote a fully CEPS compliant e-purse for the National Project. The e-purse incorporates extra functionality to allow for secure off-line load and contactless operation.

 

System Software

• SCS investigated the requirements for a secure and scalable card personalisation system to be included in the Starter Kit.
• SCS has developed a suite of web-based modules to be used by councils to enable the remote loading of ITSO products, such as tickets, on to cards.
• SCS provided both the CSP and PKCS#11 PC based components to support the PKI functionality on the card.