Re: chip inside smart card is firmware?

From: Anne & Lynn Wheeler (lynn_at_garlic.com)
Date: 11/30/04 

Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 10:19:38 -0700

jrefactors@hotmail.com (Matt) writes:
> The chip (SIM ?) inside the smart card is considered as firmware? My
> understanding is that firmware means software on ROM. Or can we say
> embedded software? I am confused with those terms.
>
> Please advise. thanks!!

a lot of these chips have eeprom where data &/or programming can be
loaded (depending on chip rom you have).

i think much of the smartcard protection profile has to do with
loading programming into eeprom/flash and the operation of the loaded
programming ... and frequently the partitioning provisions for
multiple different loaded functions.
http://niap.nist.gov/cc-scheme/pp/PP_SCSUGSMPP_V3.0.html
http://www.cse-cst.gc.ca/en/services/ccs/SCSUG_PP_v30.html
http://www.gammassl.co.uk/topics/OP3-ICCC2.html

an issue is that the evaluation typically is of the provisions for
loading programs ... as opposed to evaluation of the chip with the
loaded programs.

frequently they are referred to as multi-app tokens ... which is
slightly misleading ... because multi-app tends to be defined as use
with external applications. the more accurate designation tends to be
multi-function tokens ... although not strictly requiring program
loading ... the multi-function tokens that i'm aware of tend to be
programming loaded into eeprom.

note that most embedded implementations tend to refer to the
programming loaded into eeprom/flash as firmware ... to distinquish it
from "regular" software .... example is bios on most PCs. 

-- 
Anne & Lynn Wheeler | http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/

Relevant Pages

  • Re: chip inside smart card is firmware?
    ... loading programming into eeprom/flash and the operation of the loaded ... the multi-function tokens that i'm aware of tend to be ... programming loaded into eeprom. ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)
  • Re: EEPROM guarantees after power loss during a write
    ... does not involve an internal erasure of the entire page. ... power to your board. ... Hack the electronics so the EEPROM can be powered from an output ... That allows the timer to interrupt programming using a precise time ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)
  • Re: EEPROM checksum error
    ... Think about the programming sequence. ... You just assume that the power comes up all at once, ... > I'm guessing your example eeprom wasn't one of these, ... Atmel EEPROM AT25128 is used in the radio. ...
    (sci.electronics.design)
  • Re: EEPROM checksum error
    ... Think about the programming sequence. ... You just assume that the power comes up all at once, ... > I'm guessing your example eeprom wasn't one of these, ... Atmel EEPROM AT25128 is used in the radio. ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: EEPROM checksum error
    ... > Everytime when radio is turned on, checksum will be verified. ... > error will occur when any bytes are corrupted in the EEPROM. ... glitches that JUST HAPPENED to mimic the programming sequence on the ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
Quantcast