MIFARE

Kyiv Metro Increases Security with NXP MIFARE Plus® 25. November 2015

Kyiv Metro, the main public transport operator of Kyiv, the capital and largest city in Ukraine, migrates to the highest security level of MIFARE Plus® contactless ICs. MIFARE Plus cards, which are already in circulation, are switched from security level 1 to security level 3 with strongest and advanced AES128 cryptography for authentication, communication confidentiality and integrity.
NXP Semiconductors’ MIFARE Plus is designed to take card security to the next level while granting public transport operators the opportunity to implement more security without switching deployed cards or changing infrastructure. After changing the cards from MIFARE Classic® to MIFARE Plus, Kyiv Metro is now the first public transport operator in Eastern Europe that started migration to advanced security level 3, the highest security AES128 crypto, achieving Common Criteria EAL4+ certification.

“Underground authorities pay significant attention to technological development of the fare collection system and consistent improvement of the system’s information security. MIFARE® products are used in the underground service since 2005, and in 2012 it was decided to migrate on to the new, secure MIFARE Plus product. Today all cards in circulation are based on MIFARE Plus IC technology. Until the end of 2015, we plan to transfer these cards to a new level of security using powerful open cryptographic algorithm AES128”, said Victor Braginskyi, head of the municipal enterprise, at Kyiv Metro.

“MIFARE Plus IC technology is based on open standards for wireless interfaces and for encryption methods. It supports a wide range of options, including powerful software and hardware security that can be integrated into existing software and the technical base of transport operators. CS MECHATRONICS conducted a number of measures to modernize the software of subway infrastructure, allowing it to work with the powerful, open and modern cryptographic algorithm AES128, necessary for the card’s operation in security level 3. And migration to Security Level 3 is the easiest way to update existing system to the highest security. It should be noted that the work is carried out in the combined functionality mode of two types of cards (MIFARE Plus SL1 and MIFARE Plus SL3), and the transition is carried out insensibly for metro passengers,” noted Serhii Hrihoriev, Deputy CEO of CS MECHATRONICS.

“The decision of Kyiv metro confirms once more that MIFARE product based platforms provide system integrators with the flexibility to create an AFC system respecting the individual needs for the customer, while offering a clear upgrade path to increased levels of security and privacy when required. Kyiv is the first project in Eastern Europe where already issued cards are switching to higher security level (SL3) in the field”, said Matthias Poppel, general manager, business sector secure mobility and retail, NXP Semiconductors. “Major public transport operators in cities like São Paulo, Minsk, Baku, Chile, Los Angeles, Kuala Lumpur, Panama, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and lot of other cities already switched to MIFARE Plus in order to run a trusted and future-proof solution for their transport ticketing schemes.

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