Smart Card Application Bundling for Memory and API Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart cards face challenges due to limited resources and security risks when running multiple applications, including limited memory and potential unauthorized access through exposed application programming interfaces (APIs).
Innovation Solution
A method to merge multiple smart card application files into a single, consolidated file, reducing load size and enhancing security by bundling applications and libraries, with private access controls and streamlined naming, versioning, and code verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications are installed on a smart card, then application functionality is improved, but memory usage increases and security risks worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple application files (CAP files) into a single consolidated application file. This consolidation reduces the total memory footprint on the smart card while maintaining the ability to execute multiple applications, directly resolving the contradiction between application functionality and memory usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The consolidated application file serves multiple functions by containing multiple applications that can be executed on the smart card. This multi-functionality allows a single file to provide the same application capabilities as multiple separate files would, reducing memory requirements while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications are installed on a smart card, then application functionality is improved, but security risks increase due to exposed APIs
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple applications into a single consolidated file with controlled API exposure, the patent reduces security risks. The consolidation mechanism allows selective exposure of APIs, ensuring that only necessary interfaces are available to other applications while preventing unauthorized access to internal implementations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controlled interface layer through the consolidation mechanism that acts as an intermediary between applications. This intermediary structure manages API exposure deliberately, allowing applications to communicate through defined interfaces while preventing direct access to internal resources and reducing security vulnerabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple application files are stored on a smart card, then application diversity is improved, but processing speed decreases due to increased load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple application files into a single file structure, reducing the number of separate loading operations required. This merging approach maintains application diversity while improving processing speed by eliminating the overhead of managing multiple separate application loads and reducing memory access patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described herein for merging multiple smart card application files into a single, consolidated file that may be used by a smart card runtime environment to execute multiple applications. The techniques may reduce the load size of installed application code on a smart card by bundling applications and libraries together into an optimized file. As a result, smart card platforms may have more space available to execute the applications at runtime and/or to install additional applications. Embodiments herein may further provide flexibility on defining access controls over resources for which the code is not known. When application files are merged, packages and libraries that were previously public may be made private within the merged application file to restrict external access to unknown code in the bundle.