ABSTRACT
Rapidly growing information networks demand efficient management and security measures, which attracted developers toward smart card technology. These cards have evolved from simple memory-based devices to complex and powerful processing units embedded with dedicated hardware and software components. These components work in association to achieve a particular functionality. However, increasing use of smart cards has made them vulnerable to a large number of security attacks that are of specialized or general nature. In this chapter, we discuss various security attacks on hardware and software components of smart cards in detail and present appropriate countermeasures for these attacks. Hardware-level attacks typically include invasive, semi-invasive, and noninvasive attacks. Conversely, software-level attacks, also known as logical threats, include exploitation of the vulnerabilities present in the system or application software, along with communication protocols, encryption algorithms, and data handling mechanisms, to manipulate the desired function of the smart card.
