Re: Smart Card and RFID Card

[Amal]

#19698

Hi Sikha,

Greetings!

I apprecaite your taking the time to write to us.

Contactless Smart Cards often called as smartcards or chip cards is an advance version of the usual RFID cards (Radio Frequecy Identification) in common both have a chip which is embedded in a piece of plastic, when a smartcard or RFID tag passes within range, a reader sends out radio frequency electromagnetic waves, then the antenna tuned to receive these waves, wakes up the chip in the smartcard or RFID and a wireless communication channel is set up between the reader and the cards.

The Contactless Smart card contains a microprocessor, a small but real computer that makes calculations, communicates both ways, remembers new information and actively uses these capabilities for security and many other applications, where as the RFID tags are devices that typically have a read only chip that stores a unique number but has no processing capability. It is more like a radio based bar code used mostly for identification (hence radio frequency identification)

Features :

Smart Card –

1.  Strong Security Capacities:

a. mutual authentication before providing access to information
b. access can be further protected via pin or biometric
c. encryption to protect data on card during exchange
d. hardware and software protection to combat attacks or counterfeiting

2. Hundreds of security features mean an individuals personal ID, financial details, payment transactions,
  transit fares or physical access privileges can be safely stored, managed and exchanged.
3. Read and write memory capacity of 512 bytes and up, with very large memory storage possible
4. Short distance data exchange, typically two inches

RFID

1. Minimal

a. One-way authentication; card cannot protect itself
b. insufficient storage for biometrics
c. no on-chip calculations of new informatio
d. relies on static keys

2. Single function; used to help machines identify objects to increase efficiency
  Eg: Inventory control

3. Small memory (92 bytes); often read only

4. larger distance data exchange

Because of their more restricted capabilities, RFID cards are generally cheaper

I hope that the above answers your questions satisfactorily

Best Regards,
Amal.S