The Smart Card Centre (SCC) conducts research on a number of topics related to smart tokens and mobile devices, some of which are listed below. These are just some example of SCC activities and there is a very broad and diverse range of research work as evident from our past MSc Projects 

Mobile services and platforms

Our research focuses on new mobile applications for an increasingly ubiquitous computing environment that is converging with other technology, such as smart tokens systems and the Internet.

 Smart card services and platform

The term 'smart token' no longer implies a conventional contact smart card, and in recent years tokens that differ in physical shape and functionality, such as NFC mobiles and contactless tokens, have also become popular. The SCC works on a range of smart tokens aspects, including new applications, operating platforms, content management and the token life-cycle.

 RFID services and platforms

RFID systems are becoming more prevalent in everyday life. The SCC studies theoretical and practical aspects of RFID systems with regards to novel applications, communication protocol and RFID ecosystems.

Contactless smart cards: Payment, identification and access control systems rely and contactless smart tokens to provide secure services.

Item tagging and tracking: Basic RFID tags used in location and tracking systems are limited in resources. This places constraints on the operation of these systems and the design of related communication and security protocols

Transport

Intelligent transport systems rely on smart tokens to provide cores services. Smart tokens are ideal for implementing configurable tickets, travel purses and personalised travel products, like fixed period or concessionary passes. The SCC looks at security aspects and suitable platforms in addition to new directions for interoperable transport systems and value added services.

Attacks and countermeasures

The SCC is continually working on new security mechanism that can be practically integrated into current mobile and smart token technology, while also evaluating the security of current systems and developing theoretical and practical attack methods.

M.Sc Projects

Students enrolled for the Ph.D. and M.Sc. academic courses, offered by The Information Security Group at Royal Holloway, University of London, are welcome to apply for research projects within the SCC. Project examples from the past year:

Security, management, operation and personalization comparison of a web server on a SIM card with the PC and mobile phone alternatives (Lazaros Kyrillidis).

Performing DPA analysis and comparing the side channel leakage for AES design on two 8-bit microntrollers (Mehari Msgna).

Past:

Previous MSc Project List I

Previous MSc Project List II  

EU Projects

Submitted:

S3MS
The objective of the S3MS project is to create an open platform for secure software services on mobile and embedded systems in ambient intelligence scenarios, in which third-party software can be securely and easily developed and deployed.

The goal of S3MS is to develop and implement an open security paradigm for the development, loading, execution and run-time monitoring of downloadable third party applications for mobile platforms. The theoretical and engineering framework for the dissemination of secure mobile applications are investigated.

Newland
The main goal of NEWLAND is to define, establish and put into practise an architecture of pervasive and ubiquitous technologies and applications that can be used by mobile users and workers for performing in-field activities of forestry, farming and fishing related inspections. Amongst the main areas of the project is the security mechanisms (authentication certificates) for avoiding falsification of RFID tags specifically applied to food control.