Using smart cards with Java SE

JNI wrappers

Access to native PKCS#11 providers. Requires JNI and necessary host-side software.

• OpenSC-Java  https://www.opensc-project.org/opensc-java/browser/trunk/pkcs11
• IAIK  http://jce.iaik.tugraz.at/sic/Products/Core-Crypto-Toolkits/PKCS-11-Wrapper
• Sun PKCS#11 in 1.5+  http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/guide/security/p11guide.html

Access to PC/SC for Java versions before 1.6. Should not be used for new applications, use Java 1.6 and javax.smartcardio instead

• jPCSC -  http://www.linuxnet.com/middle.html

javax.smartcardio in 1.6+

List of applications and libraries that make use of javax.smartcardio

• Low level PC/SC bridge (replaces and obsoletes jPCSC)  http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/jre/api/security/smartcardio/spec/javax/smartcardio/package-summary.html
• PKCS#15 support (OpenSC-Java)
• GPJ  http://sourceforge.net/projects/gpj/
• scuba  http://scuba.sourceforge.net/
• OpenCard Framework  http://www.openscdp.org/ocf/
• wiki:OpenPGP GUI  http://sourceforge.net/projects/javaopenpgpcard/
• Generic APDU sending GUI  http://sourceforge.net/projects/jsmartcard/
• NFC link for ACR122U  http://code.google.com/p/nfcip-java/
• Serbian eID interface:  https://gitorious.org/freesteel/jfreesteel

Tips

• On Mac OS X 10.6 and 10.7 run the JRE with -d32 to force it into 32bit mode, otherwise smart card events won't work or a crash happens:

  java(2885,0x104c77000) malloc: *** mmap(size=140454020517888) failed (error code=12)
  *** error: can't allocate region
  *** set a breakpoint in malloc_error_break to debug
  Invalid memory access of location 0x0 rip=0x10c0d766e
  Segmentation fault: 11
  

• Applets and out-of-browser windows:  http://my.opera.com/daniel/blog/2010/05/31/new-opera-with-ns4-javaplugin

PKCS#15 in Java

Similar to the PKCS#15 generation/parsing software in OpenSC, but implemented in Java. Both use  Bouncy Castle for actual ASN.1 encoding/decoding. Both use javax.smartcardio instead of the pcsc/openct/ctapi layer of OpenSC.

• in OpenSC-Java  https://www.opensc-project.org/opensc-java/browser/trunk/pkcs15
• In javacardsign  http://javacardsign.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/javacardsign/pkihostapi/src/net/sourceforge/javacardsign/iso7816_15/
• Alternative: use  Java ASN.1 compiler instead.

GlobalPlatform in Java

GlobalPlatform deals with loading and managing JavaCard applets. There are currently two known implementations of GlobalPlatform specific functionality:

• GPJ (see above) uses javax.smartcardio and does not provide a GUI. Ideal for integrating purposes.
• jcManager  http://www.brokenmill.com/2010/03/java-secure-card-manager/ uses jPCSC (see above) and provides a rudimentary GUI.