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Infrastructure Security: Devices and Media • Chapter 6 413

designers go a long way towards accomplishing this goal by making them difficult
to tamper with. In addition, some Smart Cards also encrypt the data on the card in
order to prevent it from being read by unauthorized entities.
Due to their physical design (embedded in a piece of plastic), Smart Cards have
a great deal of defense against normal removable media vulnerabilities.They are
immune to magnetic fields and static shock, and resistant to physical abuse. Bending
or cutting a card will, of course, damage it, but carrying it around on a key chain
or badge holder is usually safe. It is recommended that they not be placed in wallets
so they will not get bent, but overall, they provide a great deal of resistance to
physical damage.
Smart Card technology is becoming more and more common.They are used
within digital satellite systems, health program identification programs, and some
credit card programs.They are also used for user authentication on high security
networks.

NOTE
Smart Cards are covered in Chapter 10, “Public Key Infrastructure.”

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