A network-based platform for multi-application smart cards

Our Network-based IC card Environment, "NICE" is a platform for multi-application smart card operation and management. It is designed for multiple business entities scattered over an open network and enables cooperative operation and management of multi-application smart card and card applications. NICE flexibly supports various business models based on a well-defined role model including some new agent roles that are expected to emerge in the near future. Most of the card operations can be performed securely through the Internet by establishing an asymmetric cryptography based security protection framework. It also provides an access control method for card-server communications that is helpful in preventing malicious card usage and achieving easy and efficient card management. The first version of NICE was completed in March 2001, and we confirmed the feasibility of card and card application management using NICE.