JPH07262326A - Security protection mechanism for magnetic card reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily change the kind of a card to be ciphered while holding security. CONSTITUTION:A magnetic card reader 1 is provided with a card kind setting command for setting the kind of a magnetic card 30. On the other hand, card kind setting information 10 is provided to show whether the magnetic card reader 1 is completely initially set or not. When executing the card kind setting command with a host device 2, this card kind setting information 10 is referred to. When this information shows the completion of initial setting, the card kind setting command can not be used. Only when the initial setting is not completed, information concerning the kind of the card to be ciphered inside a storage means 11 is set by the card kind setting command. As a result, the kind of the card to be ciphered can be easily set at the time of initially setting the magnetic card reader, and the card kind is prevented from being changed at any time excepting for initial setting.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a confidentiality holding mechanism for a magnetic card reader which can easily set the type of card to be encrypted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, magnetic cards in which various data are recorded on a magnetic stripe have been widely used. Such a magnetic card is read by the magnetic card reader and sent to the host device. At this time, in the magnetic card reading device, the read data on the magnetic stripe is encrypted and transmitted to a card of a specific type.
Such encryption is performed using a key stored in a non-volatile memory in the magnetic card reader. That is, when the data of the card issuer recorded on the magnetic stripe matches the data of the card issuer stored in the non-volatile memory in the magnetic card reader, the data is encrypted using this encryption key and the confidential The retention was improved.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems. That is, there is a problem that the types of cards to be encrypted are limited, and the types of cards to be encrypted cannot be easily changed even when it is desired to encrypt other types of cards. Conversely, if the host device can easily change the type of card to be encrypted, the data that must be encrypted may be sent to the host device without being encrypted. There was a problem that it became low.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the confidentiality holding mechanism of the magnetic card reader according to the present invention provides:
It is characterized by the following points. The magnetic card reader is provided with storage means for storing information indicating whether or not the initial setting has been completed. There is provided card type setting means for referring to the information stored in the storage means and setting the card type only when the information indicates that the information has not been initialized.

[0005]

The magnetic card reader is provided with a special command for setting the type of magnetic card. On the other hand, information indicating whether or not the magnetic card reader has been initialized is provided. Then, this information is referred to when the card type setting command is executed. When this information indicates that the initial setting has been completed, the card type setting command is disabled. The card type to be encrypted is set by the card type setting command only when the initial setting has not been completed. As a result, the type of card to be encrypted can be easily set at the time of initial setting of the magnetic card reader, and the card type can be prevented from being changed except at the time of initial setting, so that the confidentiality of the card can be improved.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a confidentiality keeping mechanism of a magnetic card reader according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the magnetic card reader 1 and the host device 2 are connected to each other via a communication path A
Connected through. In the magnetic card reader 1, storage means 11 storing card type setting information 10 is stored.
And a card type setting means 12 are provided. The storage means 11 is composed of a nonvolatile RAM or the like, and stores the card type setting information 10 indicating whether or not the magnetic card reader 1 has been initialized.

The card type setting means 12 is a storage means 11.
The card type setting information 10 stored in is set and the card type is set only when the information indicates that the initial setting has not been completed. The card type setting means 12 operates according to the processing procedure shown in FIG. The ROM 13 in the magnetic card reader 1 stores various programs (not shown) executed by the CPU 14, and also stores the card type setting means 12. The storage means 11 is used not only for storing the card type setting information 10, but also as a working area and a communication buffer area for the CPU 14. In addition, the following security information is stored in a part of the storage unit 11. In this area, as shown in FIG. 2, at least encryption keys K1 to Km for encryption, card issuer data D1 to Dn of a card to be encrypted, and a card type setting indicating whether or not a card type has been set. Information 10 is stored.

The card issuer data D1 to Dn store identification data such as the address and name of the card issuer to be read by the magnetic card reader 15 by the magnetic card reader 1. The magnetic card reader 1 includes a magnetic card 30.
When the magnetic stripe 31 is read by the magnetic card reader 15, it is recorded on the magnetic stripe 31 only when the card issuer data recorded on the magnetic stripe 31 matches the card issuer data D1 to Dn. The data is read and transmitted to the higher-level device 2 via the communication interface 16.

At this time, the card issuer data on the magnetic stripe 31 is the card issuer data D1 in the storage means 11.
˜Dm, the encryption keys K1 to K1
After encryption with Km, it is transmitted to the higher-level device 2. These encryption keys K1 to Km are transmitted from the higher-level device 2 at the time of initial setting of the magnetic card reader 1 and stored in the storage means 11. The higher-level device 2 uses the encryption keys K1 to Km. Decrypt the data. As a result, the confidentiality of the data is maintained by preventing the contents from being deciphered when the data is intercepted on the communication path A. On the other hand, the card issuer data on the magnetic stripe 31 is the card issuer data Dm + 1 to 1 in the storage unit 11.
If it matches Dn, the data on the magnetic stripe 31 is not highly confidential, and therefore the raw data is transmitted to the host device 2.

In this way, the card issuer data D1 to D
The type of the magnetic card is determined by whether m or Dm + 1 to Dn. The type of magnetic card is set by the encryption keys K1 to K stored in the storage unit 11.
This is performed by the card type setting command shown in FIG. 3 at the time of initial setting of the magnetic card reader 1 simultaneously with the writing of m. This card type setting command is issued after the host device 2 issues the initial setting command. As shown in FIG. 3, the card type setting command includes a header HD, a data length DL, encryption keys K1 to Km, and card issuer data D1.
~ Dn. The header HD indicates that the command is a card type setting command. The data length DL is
Encryption keys K1 to Km, card issuer data D1 to Dn
Indicates the total data length of the part.

The CPU 21 of the higher-level device 2 uses the communication path A
ROM 1 in the magnetic card reader 1 because it is through
3 and the storage means 11 cannot be directly accessed.
As shown in FIG. 1, the host device 2 includes a CPU 21 and a ROM.
22, a RAM 23, a communication interface 24, etc. are provided. Next, the operation of the above-described system when setting the card type will be described.

FIG. 4 shows the processing procedure of the host device when setting the card type, and FIG. 5 shows the processing procedure of the magnetic card reader when setting the card type. The type of magnetic card is set at the same time when the encryption keys K1 to Km are written in the storage means 11 at the time of initial setting of the magnetic card reader 1. First, in step S41 of FIG. 4, an initial setting command is issued from the host device 2 to the magnetic card reader 1 via the communication path A. Magnetic card reader 1
When the CPU 14 receives the initial setting command,
In step S51 of FIG. 5, the encryption key K1 of the storage unit 11
To Km, card issuer data D1 to Dn, and card type setting information 10 are cleared. That is, all the data in this part is set to "0".

Next, the higher-level device 2 operates in step S4 of FIG.
Issue a card type setting command in 2. This card type setting command, as shown in FIG.
In addition to D and the data length DL, it is composed of encryption keys K1 to Km and card issuer data D1 to Dn. CPU14
When receiving the card type setting command, the card type setting information 10 in the storage means 11 is stored in step S52 of FIG.
Only in the case of "0", the encryption keys K1 to Km and the card issuer data D1 to Dn are written in the storage means 11 in step S53. Then, in step S54, the card type setting information 10 is set to "1".

On the other hand, when referring to the card type setting information 10 in step S52, if it is "1", CP
U14 does not write the encryption keys K1 to Km and the card issuer data D1 to Dn in the storage means 11, and the step S55
Returns a reject response to the host device 2. next,
The operation of the system when reading the magnetic card will be described.

FIG. 6 shows a processing procedure of the magnetic card reader when reading the card. First, in step S61 of FIG. 6, it is detected whether or not the magnetic card 30 is inserted. When the insertion of the magnetic card is detected, the magnetic card reader 15 is read in step S62. That is, the card issuer data recorded on the magnetic stripe 31 of the magnetic card 30 is read and compared with the card issuer data D1 to Dn stored in the storage means 11 in step S63. As a result, when it is determined in step S64 that the encryption is necessary, the magnetic stripe 31 is determined in step S65.
All the data are read and encrypted with the encryption keys K1 to Km stored in the storage unit 11. Then, in step S66, the encrypted data is transmitted to the higher-level device 2.

If it is determined in step S64 that encryption is not required, the data read in step S62 is not encrypted and is directly transmitted to the host device 2 in step S68. Incidentally, the card issuer data D stored in the storage means 11 in step S63.
When it is determined that none of 1 to Dn matches,
Step S is performed without reading the magnetic stripe 31.
At 68, the magnetic card is ejected. In this way, the confidentiality of the data recorded on the magnetic stripe 31 of the magnetic card 30 is maintained, and by issuing the initial setting command and the card type setting command from the host device 2,
It is possible to easily set the type of card to be encrypted.

In the embodiment described above, the storage means 11 is a non-volatile memory, and the predetermined information in the storage means 11 is cleared when the initial setting command is issued from the host device 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is not limited to this, and the storage means 11 may be a volatile memory. In that case, the card type setting command is issued from the host device 2 when the magnetic card reader 1 is activated, and the encryption keys K1 to
Km and card issuer data D1 to Dn are set.

[0018]

As described above, according to the confidentiality holding mechanism of the magnetic card reader of the present invention, the type of the magnetic card to be encrypted can be set only when the magnetic card reader is initially set. The type of card to be encrypted can be easily changed without impairing the confidentiality of the magnetic card.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a confidentiality holding mechanism of a magnetic card reader according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of contents of a storage unit of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a card type setting command.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a host device when setting a card type.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the magnetic card reader when setting a card type.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a magnetic card reading device when reading a card.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Magnetic Card Reader 2 Upper Device 11 Storage Means 12 Card Type Setting Means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing information indicating whether or not the magnetic card reader has been initialized, and only when the information stored in the storage unit is referred to and the information indicates that the information has not been initialized. A confidentiality maintaining mechanism for a magnetic card reader, comprising: a card type setting means for setting a card type. 2. The security protection mechanism for a magnetic card reader according to claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises a non-volatile memory that retains stored contents even after the magnetic card reader is powered off.