Using master cards to configure the SpringCore devices

SpringCore is the umbrella name to the new generation of SpringCard devices (Puck, SpringPark, etc.) that share the same MCU platform and the same overall architecture. All the devices in this family could be configured easily and securely thanks to SpringCard 2nd generation of master cards.

A master card v2 is a Desfire EV1 (or later) contactless card, that contains the configuration parameters you want to apply to many devices. The data are protected by AES128 for authentication and secure communication, and their authenticity is validated by an ECC256 digital signature.

Thanks to this robust security scheme, only your devices can read and accept your master cards, while refusing (and being actually unable to read) master cards created by 3rd parties. Symmetrically, only the devices that you have commissioned with your own key-set are able to read your master cards, thus protecting your assets (secret keys and specific configuration parameters) against any unwanted disclosure, even if the master card is lost or stolen.

This article shows how-to create master cards v2 using springcoremastercard.exe tool and/or SpringCard Companion, and what are the best practices to use them efficiently and securely.

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Introducing the new FunkyGate-IP NFC

SpringCard‘s technical team is proud to announce the launch of a new generation of contactless readers for high-end access control applications, the FunkyGate NFC family. Using the same shell as previous generation’s FunkyGate-DW (Dataclock, Wiegand and RS485 interfaces) and FunkyGate-SU (RS232 and USB interfaces), the FunkyGate NFC family introduces a brand-new member, the FunkyGate-IP NFC. … Read more

Mifare Plus in a nutshell

Following the breakdown of Mifare Classic security, NXP has released a new generation of contactless cards to fill the gap, the Mifare Plus. To ease the migration of the existing applications, this new chip keeps the memory model of the Mifare Classic : the card is structured as an array of 16-byte blocks, and the … Read more