Symmetric Key Injection onto Smart Cards

Published

December 22, 2008

Author(s)

David A. Cooper, William I. MacGregor

Abstract

This paper describes architectures for securely injecting secret keys onto smart cards. Specifically, this paper details key injection architectures based on the identity credentials available on the Personal Identify Verification (PIV) Card. The primary goal is to create additional opportunities for the use of the PIV Card in Physical Access Control Systems (PACS). There is significant interest in conducting a fast, accurate, and highly secured authentication transaction using symmetric keys in PACS environments. This paper identifies ways to load site specific symmetric keys onto a PIV Card after the card has been issued, which allows each smart card to share a unique secret key with each PACS with which it interacts. The paper presents four protocols that enable a Card Management System (CMS) to securely load site-specific PACS symmetric keys. Each protocol presents unique security characteristics and uses the PIV Card's card management key in different capacities.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 7539

Report Number

7539

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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DOI Link

Keywords

card authentication key, cryptographic key management, FIPS 201, HSPD-12, PACS, Personal Identity Verification, Physcial Access Control Systems, PIV, smart cards

Citation

Cooper, D. and MacGregor, W. (2008), Symmetric Key Injection onto Smart Cards, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7539 (Accessed October 11, 2025)