iToken: a Wireless Smart Card Reader which Provides Handhelds with Desk Top Equivalent Security

The evolution of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the growth of the Internet have led to the proliferation of digital services. A new generation of networked devices has appeared, which take advantage of the enhanced technology and improved performance of connection media and protocols. Among these, it is worth mentioning Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and latest generation Cellular Phones, which provide a whole variety of improved computation features. In this new scenario, the design and implementation of effective security features has become key. In this paper, we present a research project conducted cooperatively by a University Department - namely the Dipartimento di Informatica ed Applicazioni "Renato M. Capocelli" of the University of Salerno - and a company - namely "FutureHouse s.r.l". The objective of the project was the design and the implementation of a portable smart card reader, named iToken, that communicates with the host computer by means of a wireless channel. Preliminary experimental results provide evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed solution.