On the security & design of MyKad

Within 5 years, all Malaysians are expected to have their ICs, driving licenses, passport and e-cash (ATM) all rolled into one card: MyKad. As one of the multimedia super corridor's (MSC) multipurpose smart card flagships, MyKad will become the most important card that Malaysians carry in their pockets. Therefore, the security of information stored in MyKad should be the emphasis of all parties involved in the design, manufacturing, implementation and applications development of MyKad. In this paper, we discuss the security mechanisms used in MyKad and highlight areas where security analysis should be given the top priority. We also present the rationale for open scrutiny and analysis of MyKad and conclude with some additional recommendations on the security and design of MyKad in the presence of a limited memory capacity.