Building a Smart Card Based Linux System?

Alvaro asks: "My question is rather simple: i've recently acquired a Soyo K7V Dragon+, an excellent Ahtlon XP motherboard which includes by default a smart card reader. My intention is to get this smart card reader working on Linux, but i've no idea on how to start. Is it a serial interface? Does it have an embedded controller in the MB? Does it need kernel support? Which programs should I use to access (read from/write to) the smart cards? I've searched the web to find useful information, but so far, no luck. The final idea is to use the smart cards to hold the key to decrypt an EFS (Encrypted File System), and the computer won't boot if the card isn't inserted since the BIOS also supports booting on smart card insert! Can anyone help me?"

Good place to start

[whoda]

Try this to start:

http://www.scia.org/knowledgebase/aboutSmartCard s/ stand.html

Then try this for more detailed information:

http://www.scia.org/knowledgebase/aboutsmartcard s/ iso7816_wimages.htm

Re:Good place to start

[DeadSea]

Why don't we just link them then?

Try this to start [scia.org]

Then try this for more detailed information [scia.org]

Silly question

[fm6]

Why don't we just link them then?

Because then we would have to learn HTML!!!!

Some links

[joe52]

MUSCLE - Movement for the Use of Smart Cards in a Linux Environment [linuxnet.com] looks kind of helpful.

And to use a smartcard reader for your login here [strongsec.com].

Features I want everybody to implement NOW!!!!!

[fm6]

• Single sign on for Unix.
• PKI Integration.

Imagine connecting to a LAN, VPN gateway, ISP, Email server, Web site, or online merchant, and saying "Here's my smart card. Until I tell you otherwise, consider this smartcard to be proof that I'm me." Less hassle than tracking dozens of passwords and drastically more secure. I WANT IT NOW!!!!

Would You also Like a Universal ID Card?

[mageben]

Except smart cards are incredably easy to copy and or circumvent (given time). ;P

Stolen Smarts

[fm6]

Question: do you need physical access to my smart card to copy or circumvent it? If so, it's still a lot more secure than our current system of multiple passwords.

If no, well, then I guess smartcards are evil after all. Forget what I said.

Smartcards are different from a universal ID. A smart card identifies you when you say it does and stops identifying you when you say it doesn't. You still have to prove you are who you say you are by old-fashioned means. You just don't have to do it over and over to the same people.

One more time in slow motion please!

[Anonymous Coward]

Did you ever think of getting off of your fat lazy ass and do your own research? [google.com]

The SmartCard reader is ITE chip

[raul]

The smartcard reader is a ITE SuperIO chip and one of his chanels can work as SCR(Smart Card Reader). You can get the info how to do it from the company website(I think it is www.iteusa.com).
I have tryed to do it but i am so busy that i only got the document to begin with it http://www.iteusa.com/pc/it8712f_SCR_v02.PDF.
Hop e it helps you, and you can do muscle driver so i can use it :).

Saludos y dime si te puedo ayudar en algo mas.

MUSCLE - Linux Smart Card Development

[storem]

I was a developer in the smartcard field before. A few good places for Linux smartcard resources were: Movement for the Use of Smart Cards in a Linux Environment [linuxnet.com] and the CT-API for Linux [panstruga.de] pages.

Re:MUSCLE - Linux Smart Card Development

[edbarrett]

Darnit, and here I thought you were talking about Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere [google.com].

RTFG

[rerunn]

Read the fucken google

Stupid subject

[Rick the Red]

Shouldn't that be "Smart Card drivers for Linux?" rather than "Building a Smart Card Based Linux System?"
I thought the story was about fitting Linux onto a smart card, or using a smart card to boot linux, or something interesting. The other posters are right [slashdot.org] -- Use Google! [slashdot.org]

The SuperChip ...

[ProfMoriarty]

is from ITE (as other have pointed out) but is the ITE 8705F ... not the 8712F ...

Here's [iteusa.com] are the specifications for that chip.

The Sigma-Box plugs into the motherboard using 2 cables, 1 for the SCR, and the other USB.

I've been trying to get it to work (PC/SC) under Win2K, but there are no drivers that appear to work. The demonstration app goes directly to the hardware to talk.