SAM Authentication using Taplinx Advanced Library

[Saravana Damodaram]

I'm currently trying to authenticate MIFARE DESFIRE card through Android POS device with PN547 NFC controller. Below are few of my questions.

1. Can we access the SAM module in slot 1 of the POS device with PN547NFC controller using Taplink advanced library? if not , do we need the driver for the contact interface with SAM module?

2.please suggest how to perform SAM AV1 authentication with external SAM reader using Taplink?

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[TapLinx Support]

Hi Saravana,

Unfortunately the MIFARE SAM AV2 is currently NOT supported by TapLinx SDK. The reason is no standardized contact interface. TapLinx is a library for the Android user space. If you want to deal with the PN547 directly, you cannot use TapLinx.

The PN547 has separate slots to communicate with a contact card and the SAM is able to handle the authentication of a contactless card. Please refer the user manuals and application notes.

Kind regards,
The TapLinx Team

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[Saravana Damodaram]

Thank you for the response. Do we need to sign an NDA to download the user manual and application notes.

Can you please let me know the external SAM card reader modules compatible with Taplink android SDK integration if any.


Thanks,
Saravana

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[TapLinx Support]

Hi Saravana,

The material of MIFARE SAM AV2 is NDA certified.

TapLinx is a SDK for Android programming. As I tried to explain in my last post, Android does not support an API for a contact slot which can be used for accessing the SAM. So, TapLinx is not an option for you if you want to use the SAM.

But we have other NFC controllers, which support such slot. E.g.: the PN7462 is an ARM micro controller (with SRAM, flash memory etc.) and with a contactless interface and a contact interface. But this controller have to be programmed in C/C++ or Assembly.

Regards,
The TapLinx Team

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[Saravana Damodaram]

Thanks for your response.


1. Can we use Taplinx to handle card communication from Read, Write and Authenticate for a DESFIRE 4K card.


2. Can we use external SAM card reader to get the required SAM keys for authentication with the card.


Requesting you to share your technical support team number to discuss on this.

Thanks,
Saravana

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[TapLinx Support]

Hi Saravana,

Yes of course, you can use an external connected SAM in your device. But in this case you have to implement the communication by yourself. This depends of an external ISO7816 card reader and the driver library of the card reader.

Another point is important: usually you never deal with key values directly. You do not read out a key value from SAM and use it for an authentication! You use the SAM for the authentication to let calculate the required steps inside of the SAM and only handover the intermediate results to the card. The SAM has commands to authenticate all MIFARE products directly or indirect with intermediate results. This is not possible with TapLinx, because you have no interface in TapLinx to “hook” into the authenticate procedure of TapLinx.

Regards,
The TapLinx Team

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[Saravana Damodaram]

Thanks for your response. Please provide more details on the "hook" you have mentioned in the authentication procedure.

Is there a API to authenticate Card through Taplinx , if so can we pass the following response from SAM module through the API.

1. Send the Authenticate (KeyNo) to Card through Taplinx API
2. Taplinx API returning response from card the eKeyNo(RndB)
3. Send dKeyNo(RndA+RndB') to card through Taplinx API
4. Taplinx API returning Response eKeyNo(RnadA') from card

Requesting you to confirm on the same.

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[TapLinx Support]

Hi Saravana,

There is no “hook” in TapLinx that is the point!

The authentication in TapLinx need access to the key value (with cannot be fulfilled by an external SAM). You have to provide a Java Key class object like in the examples shown or use a third party key store like Bouncy Castle (this is also shown and explained in the embedding application note).

If you want to use the SAM AV2, you have to bypass TapLinx.

Regards,
The TapLinx Team

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[Zdenko Tobek]

Dear Taplinx support team,

Is there any update on NXP development enabling a special microSD or a SIM card to be used within Android phones as a SAM for Taplinx ? Is this (or something similar) on a roadmap of NXP developments ?

Thank you very much for letting us know
Best regards,
Zdenko

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[TapLinx Support]

Hi Zdenko,

The problem here is, it does not exist a standardized interface on Android API for using a SIM card slot as general purpose card. On devices with a second SIM card slot, it is used (and locked) for a second telephone provider SIM card. Such slot cannot be used as slot for a MIFARE SAM.

If you want to connect a MIFARE SAM to an Android device, you must use an external card reader.

The TapLinx team

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