Definition
Java card technology facilitates the running of Java programs (applets) securely on smart cards and other small memory devices. It is common in applications that require safe data operations and storage.
History of Java Card
Java cards were introduced in 1996 by Sun Microsystems. They allow smart cards to use applications written in Java to ensure security and portability. Nowadays, they are an industry standard for multi-application smart cards.
How Java Card Works
Java Card enables smart cards to support Java applications (applets), ensuring they operate in isolated and secure environments.
Since it is Java-based, it offers platform independence. This means applets can run on any manufacturer’s Java Card smart card. The Java Card Runtime Environment (JCRE) controls the applet operations, ensuring they don’t affect each other.
Java Card Use Cases
- Banking: Credit and debit cards use Java Card technology for secure financial transactions.
- Telecommunications: In mobile phones, SIM cards use Java cards to securely store and manage personal data and services.
- Identity verification: This is applied to driver’s licenses, national ID cards, and passports to store individual data safely.
- Transportation: Java Card is widely employed in public transit cards to manage fares and control service access.
- Access control: Modern key cards used to access buildings or specific rooms run on Java Card technology.
Benefits of Java Card
- Interoperability: Java applets are portable and they can be deployed on any kind of smart card environment, thus lowering the hardware expenses.
- Multiple applications: One system can support several applications hosted on a single device.
- New applications: After a card has been issued through the OTA platforms, additional applications can be downloaded. This allows card issuers to meet customers’ ever-evolving demands.
- Regular updates: Java Cards can be easily and swiftly updated because of the open OS architecture, which operates independently from the application. This reduces migration constraints, especially after initial card issuance.