EP2939186A1

EP2939186A1 - Smart card with a security element divided between card body and module

Info

Publication number: EP2939186A1
Application number: EP13802690.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Philippe Lauri; Philippe Patrice; Ivan Peytavin
Original assignee: Smart Packaging Solutions SAS
Current assignee: Smart Packaging Solutions SAS
Priority date: 2012-12-31
Filing date: 2013-11-15
Publication date: 2015-11-04
Also published as: US9514403B2; AU2013369165A1; US20150356400A1; RU2015131833A; FR3000583A1; WO2014102461A1; FR3000583B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a smart card (10) comprising a card body (13) provided with a cavity in which an electronic module incorporating a microelectronic chip (12) is inserted, and at least one security marking designed to authenticate a component of the smart card, characterised in that it comprises a first security marking (11) disposed on the microelectronic module (12), and a second security marking (14) disposed on the card body, and in that the two security markings are linked by a visual identity or matching relationship indicating that the microelectronic module (12) and the card body (13) are original components assembled when the smart card was manufactured.

Description

The invention relates to smart cards having an apparent electronic module, particularly contactless or non-contact smart cards, such as those used in banking applications or smart cards. identification applications, as non-limiting examples.

The invention is independent of the size of the smart card, and can be applied as well to conventional smart cards as to other secure documents provided with an apparent electronic module, so that to simplify the exposed, will be designated by the same term of "smart cards", both smart cards in the usual format (according to ISO 7816-1) that other types of formats.

The invention therefore also applies to smart cards with contacts

(capable of communicating with a chip card reader using the contact terminal of the smart card), that contactless smart cards capable of interacting with a contactless card reader through radio frequency communication), for as far as these are provided with an apparent electronic module. The invention also applies to mixed-function smart cards with contacts and without contacts. A recurring problem that arises with the apparent-module smart cards is that of the module pulling fraud and transfer of this module to a module. another card, thus forming a fraudulent smart card.

STATE OF THE ART

Already known in the state of the art several types of cards or secure documents with an electronic chip.

Thus, we know identity cards in contact chip card format, in which the electronic module is "encarte" that is to say fixed in a cavity of the card body, so that the electrical contacts of the module remain accessible on the surface to allow connection to a contact card reader. This type of identity card raises the problem of possible access to contacts, or even outright replacement of the electronic module, for purposes of identity fraud.

In order to partially solve this problem, DE-196 25 466

Cl has described a contact smart card, the contacts themselves are provided with a graphic, including a specific color different from the usual golden or silver color. For this purpose, the contacts are coated with a metal dispersion layer containing color particles based on aluminum. However, the contacts remain electrically accessible which allows cases of fraud by attacking the circuit of the chip through the contacts of the smart card. In addition, the contacts and the module are physically also accessible, which always allows to consider taking or even replace the electronic module.

No. 6,259,035 B1 discloses a contact smart card in which it has been sought to make the electronic module and the metallic contacts as discrete as possible in their appearance, by coloring the contacts themselves and by making so that the graphics of the surface of the module is an extension of the graphics of the card body. This method is not a sufficient defense against the mentioned problem of pulling the module.

A reverse approach was further pursued in US Pat. No. 5,552,574, which instead describes how to provide the surface of the contacts of a smart card with contacts with a security etching, performed using a laser beam. But the laser etching of the metal contacts of the module degrades the metallizations, which leads to micro oxidations which are eventually detrimental to the proper electrical operation of the contacts and therefore the smart card.

Document US 2005/0211785 A1 discloses a magnetic stripe credit card, whose card body comprises one or more alphanumeric indications located partly above a processor integrated in the card body. In this type of card, alphanumeric no credit card authentication role, since it also includes a keyboard to provide a security code to the processor that runs a test algorithm code provided. The security provided by this arrangement is therefore logical security from a code. In particular, a simple visual examination of the map does not allow to conclude to its authenticity.

Also known from US 6,259,035 B1 is a contact chip card having a module having standardized metallized contacts. In order to improve the visual appearance of the smart card, in particular to terminate the appearance break between the surface of the card body and the surface of the module, the same visual screen is printed on the surface of the module and on the surface of the card body.

DE 10 2005 048033 A1 also discloses a smart card whose card body comprises a pattern using conductive lines printed by means of coding software, so that said pattern presents unique electromagnetic properties. These electromagnetic properties are also encoded in the memory of the smart card. It is clear that only the use of a reading step of the memory data followed by a step of comparing the read data with the electromagnetic response of the pattern, makes it possible to indicate whether it is a false card or not. These steps are impossible to implement by a simple visual examination, require equipment, and are not indicated for a quick visual inspection, such as that required for example for smart ID cards.

In summary, the problem of security markings was mainly addressed for the most common use-contact cards, either by guilloches or other graphics made on the card body, or by a graphic alteration of the module's metal contacts, under color form or laser engraving made directly on the contacts.

With regard to contactless cards, it has been found that it is preferable, for reasons of manufacturing efficiency, to use reliable and high-performance manufacturing processes, such as the conventional method of inserting used for contact cards, consisting of transferring a contact module into a cavity of the card. But as we mentioned previously, this process as such has a low security since the cards thus manufactured are particularly vulnerable to the fraud of tearing the module off the card and reinserting it into another card, which is particularly contraindicated, in particular , for cards or documents intended for identity control applications.

Furthermore, some cards are made according to the dual communication interface technology, and comprise both contactless electronics inscribed on the card body and further provided with contacts for communication with a card reader reader. This type of card potentially combines the security vulnerabilities of the two types of cards described above.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION: An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improvement of the security markings for smart cards with apparent electronic module, likely to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to propose an electronic module chip card, having an increased security compared to the lifting of the module, and which is easy to manufacture economically with high yields comparable to the yields manufacturing of contact cards, while being compatible with visible security graphics such as logos, codes or security holograms, generically referred to as "security markings".

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a chip card comprising a card body provided with a cavity in which a microelectronic module incorporating a microelectronic chip is inserted, and at least one security marking capable of authenticating a component of the microelectronic module. smart card, characterized in that it comprises a first security marking distributed between the microelectronic module and the smart card body, and at least one second security marking disposed on the card body, and in that the first and the second security markings are linked by an identity relationship or visual complementarity indicating that the microelectronic module and the card body are original components assembled during the manufacture of the smart card. In this way, the first security marking serves as a comparison reference to the second security marking. Of course, one could easily extend the principle of the invention to a number of security markings, including second security markings, greater than two, distributed between the card body and the microelectronic module.

In this way, the security marking is distributed between the electronic module and the body of the smart card, so that removal of the module alters the correspondence of the two security markings and makes the fraud easily visible or detectable.

The precise location of each of the two markings may vary from one embodiment variant to another, depending in particular on the compromise that is required between the discretion of the marking with regard to possible forgers, and the ease of detection of a fraudulent card by the Forces de l'Ordre or equivalent.

Thus, according to a first variant embodiment, the first and second security markings are respectively made on the surface of the electronic module and the card body, and on the surface of the card body, and are visible to the naked eye, which allows an immediate detection of a fraud, by altering the correspondence between the two markings.

According to another more discrete variant embodiment, one of the two security markings is made on the surface of the microelectronic module or of the card body and is visible to the naked eye, the other being produced in the structure of the microelectronic module or of the card body and being invisible to the naked eye, but detectable in particular by X-ray radiography.

According to another embodiment, which is even more discrete, the two security markings are made in the structure of the microelectronic module and in the structure of the card body during their respective manufacturing or personalization process, and they are invisible to the naked eye. , but detectable in particular by X-ray radiography. According to another advantageous variant of the invention, the security marking of the module is printed or etched on the surface of the microelectronic module, and the security marking of the card body is printed or etched on an intermediate layer of the card body, and is visible through a window of transparency arranged in a layer of material covering said intermediate layer. In this way, the security marking of the card body, while being visible, remains particularly well protected against physical attacks or attempted modifications.

According to another variant of positioning of the safety markings, the first security marking is distributed between the module and the card body, and in particular is placed astride between the microelectronic module and the card body, and then comprises a portion made of on the microelectronic module and a part made on the card body, and the set of the first security marking is reproduced on the other hand substantially identical, as a reference for comparison, at least one predetermined location of the body Map.

In all the aforementioned cases, the identity or the complementarity between the security marking (s) of the module and the security mark (s) of the card body attest with a very high degree of reliability that the original module is in place. in the original card body of the smart card.

According to the invention, the security marking can take several forms. It can be for example a hologram. But according to a very simple embodiment of the invention, the security marking is composed of a series of alphanumeric characters. In this case, the alphanumeric characters of the markings may be aligned along a straight line. Alternatively, they may be arranged in two straight line segments making a predetermined angle between them. This predetermined angle may also constitute an additional security element, very difficult to copy on a false card in which it would try to postpone a module extracted from another card.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, each marking or marking part corresponds to a part of a numerical code, so that the two markings are dependent on each other by a secret coded relationship. Thus, for example, the security marking may consist of all or part of the serial number of the smart card, or a code obtained by encrypting the serial number of the smart card.

The contact cards have an electronic module whose metallized and standardized contacts are separated by furrows suggesting the insulating epoxy substrate. The invention then advantageously provides for this type of card, that part of the security marking on the module is not etched on the metallized contacts, but between the contacts in the area of the epoxy substrate. This makes it possible to avoid the microoxidations that would result from etching directly in the surface of the metallized contacts.

The contactless modules with apparent module most often have an antenna located on the module and whose metal turns are apparent and separated by spaces between turns in epoxy resin. Again, the invention advantageously provides that the security marking of the module is made on the substrate of the antenna support between the metallized turns thereof, even if a marking on the turns of the antenna is also possible. .

The above non-contact smart card variants can be implemented regardless of the non-contact communication structure of the card, ie for example that the communication antenna can be directly located on the electronic module, or in the body card, and it can also be complemented by a second antenna acting as an electromagnetic flux amplifier vis-à-vis the first antenna.

Thus, in a first variant, the card body comprises several layers of material, plastic or even paper, and the antenna is made between two adjacent layers of the card body and has contact pads arranged at the bottom of the card body. the cavity of the card body and connected to the connection terminals of the electronic module.

But the card may also include a second antenna made in the card body and arranged opposite the antenna of the module, so as to amplify the electromagnetic flux captured by the module antenna. In an even more secure embodiment of the invention, the security markings are encoded in digital form and stored in a memory of the smart card. This makes it possible, at the cost of an additional verification by reading the memory, to compare the two security markings with each other, and with the security marking coded and stored in memory, it being understood that any discrepancy may mean that it does not This is not an authentic smart card such as factory outlet.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a smart card known from JP 7314963;

FIG. 2 represents a schematic view of a smart card module known from document JP 2004341759.

Figure 3 schematically shows the surface of a smart card according to the invention;

FIG. 4 represents an alternative embodiment of a module for a smart card having insulating zones between the metallized contacts capable of receiving part of the security marking according to the invention.

Figures 5A and 5B respectively show a plan view and in section B-B 'of a chip card according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1. In this figure, there is shown a known smart card, the reference numerals are those of the previous document JP 7314963. As seen, the smart card 1 has a card body 2, and an apparent electronic module 3. The card body 2 comprises a marking of a code 5, and the module 3 comprises a marking 6, entirely located on the surface of the module. Thus, assuming that the two codes are identical, to create a usurped card, a forger will only have to take the module 3 from the original card, to produce a card body in his name and reproducing the code marked on the module, and to postpone the module in the new card body. These are relatively simple operations within the reach of forged counterfeiters. Figure 2 shows a module 7 provided with a security logo 8 entirely located on the surface of the module. Here again, it is easy to produce a usurped card, simply by transferring this module to a card body bearing the impressions corresponding to its future user.

Figure 3 schematically shows a smart card 10 according to the invention. This time, a security marking 11, represented by way of example in the form of a 9-digit code 123456789, a part (11a) of which is etched or printed on the surface of the module 12, and of which another Part (11b) is etched or printed on the surface of the card body 13. The security marking 11 (11a, 11b) is therefore located astride between the apparent module of the smart card, and the card body. More specifically, in the example shown, the part 11a of the code constituted by the first 3 digits of the security code is located on the module, and the rest of the code (11b) is located on the card body 13. security marking is performed in one go when performing the graphic customization of the smart card. The whole code is made with the same personalization tools and with a specific parameterization. This makes the postponement of this module in another card body very difficult, because it would be extremely difficult to reproduce on another card body the missing part (456789) marking, with exactly the same size and the same positioning.

The original card body 13 preferably comprises a copy 14 of the marking 11 which is moreover distributed between the module and the card body, which facilitates the inspection of the card in order to detect whether it is an original card or a usurped card.

FIG. 4 shows a module 22 for a smart card with mixed operation with contact and without contact. On the periphery of the module, there are insulating protuberances 23, separating metallized zones 24, and on the other face (not visible), antenna turns are located under the protuberances.

In this case, in order to avoid micro-corrosion phenomena due to the etching of a security marking on the metallized contacts 25, the invention provides for laser engraving the part 11a of the marking located on the modulus, between the metallized contact zones 25 or between the protuberances 23. In the case (not shown) where the antenna turns would be located on the same side as the metallized contacts of the module, it will be possible to engrave a part of the marking of safety in an insulating zone located between the turns of the antenna, or if the selected materials allow it from the point of view of their resistance to corrosion, it will be possible to engrave a security marking directly on the antenna.

Referring to Figure 5, there is arranged in the card body 10 a security marking 14 corresponding to the security marking 11 of the module. The marking 14 of the card body is made in particular by printing or etching on an intermediate layer 15 of the card body, in front of a transparent window 16 of the card body. Thus, the security marking 14 is visible through the transparency window 16 provided in the layer of material covering said intermediate layer.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION:

The invention achieves the goals set, and proposes a smart card comprising graphic security elements distributed between the surface of the module and the surface of the card body, for matching a given module with a given card body.

The realization of the distributed security elements 11a, 11b is done in one go during the graphic customization of the smart card, so that it becomes extremely difficult to extract the electronic module from a smart card and then to report in another card body by reproducing a posteriori on this card body the missing graphic security part.

In cases where the marking is invisible to the naked eye, the postponement of a module provided with a marking in a card body devoid of the corresponding marking, will be easy to detect by the merchants by checking the card under a magnifying glass, without the need for heavy investigative equipment.

For those counterfeiters who are able to detect the presence of a marking made in the factory and distributed between the card body and the module, the part of the marking on the card body will be very difficult to reproduce by isolated means because it will produce a slight shift between the two markings, nevertheless visible either with the naked eye or with the help of a magnifying glass.

Claims

1 - Smart card (10) comprising a card body (13) provided with a cavity in which is inserted an electronic module (12) integrating a microelectronic chip, and at least one security marking able to authenticate a component of the chip card, characterized in that it comprises a first security marking (11) distributed between the microelectronic module (12) and the card body (13), and at least one second security marking (14) arranged on the card body (13), and in that the first and second (s) security markings (11, 14) are linked by an identity or visual complementarity relationship indicating that the microelectronic module (12) and the card body (13) are original components assembled during the manufacture of the smart card.

2 - chip card (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two security markings (11,14) are formed on the surface of the electronic module (12) and on the surface of the card body (13), and are visible to the naked eye.

3 - chip card (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first security marking (11) is formed on the surface of the microelectronic module and the card body and is visible to the naked eye, the second marking of security (14) being made in the structure of the card body and being invisible to the naked eye, but detectable in particular by X-ray radiography.

4 - Smart card (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two security markings (11,14) are formed in the structure of the microelectronic module (12) and in the structure of the card body (13) and are invisible to the naked eye, but detectable in particular by x-ray radiography.

5 - chip card according to claim 3, characterized in that the security marking (11) of the module is printed or etched on the surface of the microelectronic module, and in that the security marking (14) of the card body is printed or engraved on an intermediate layer (15) of the card body, and is visible through a transparency window (16) formed in a layer of material covering said intermediate layer.

6 - chip card (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first security marking (11) is arranged astride between the microelectronic module (12) and the card body (13), and comprises a part (11a) made on the microelectronic module and a part (11b) made on the card body (13), all of the first security marking (11) being reproduced on the other hand substantially identically, as a comparison reference, at least one predetermined location of the card body (13). 7 - Smart card according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said security markings (11,13) are composed of a sequence of alphanumeric characters.

8 - chip card according to claim 7, characterized in that the alphanumeric characters are aligned in a straight line.

9 - chip card according to claim 7, characterized in that the alphanumeric characters are aligned along two straight line segments between them a predetermined angle.

10 - Smart card according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each part (11a, 11b) of the first security marking (11) corresponds to a part of a numerical code so that the two markings (11a, 11b) are dependent on each other by a secret coded relation.

11 - Smart card according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the security markings (11,13) consist of all or part of the serial number of the chip card, or a code obtained by encryption of the serial number of the smart card.

12 - Chip card according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portion (11, 11a) of the security marking on the microelectronic module (12) is formed in an electrically insulating area between metallized contacts (25). ) of the module in the case of a contact chip card, and / or between the metallized turns of the module antenna in the case of a contactless smart card.

13 - Smart card according to one of the preceding claims, provided with an antenna for a radio frequency communication with a remote reader, characterized in that the security marking (14) of the card body is arranged on the antenna or on the antenna support substrate.

14 - Smart card according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the security markings (11,13) are encoded ^" in digital form and stored in a memory of the smart card.