MIFARE DESFire EV2

MIFARE DESFire EV2 offers the same security as the popular DESFire EV1 chip but with many more features. For example, Proximity check protects against relay attacks, and Virtual Smart Card architecture anticipates future needs for privacy protection.

Although EV2 cards are now being produced, it may take some time for institutions to upgrade to this new product. For one, there is a lag between product announcement and production.

Enhanced security

The MIFARE DESFire chips are designed to meet the highest security requirements. They offer 3DES and modern AES hardware encryption, ensuring the highest level of contactless security of your data. Additionally, a new transaction timer and a card generated MAC help to protect the chip against spoofing and hacking.

This makes MIFARE DESFire the first choice when multiple and complex RFID card applications are combined with high security requirements. The EV2 version is used in a wide range of applications, such as access control (including military environments), identification, loyalty and micropayments. It is also the preferred technology for public/private transport ticketing solutions thanks to its reliability and speed in turnstile environments.

MIFARE DESFire EV3 from NXP features a number of additional security provisions which make it even more secure than its predecessors. These include: a new transaction timer which helps to prevent man-in-the-middle mifare desfire 4k attacks, a card generated MAC to securely authenticate a transactions, and secure dynamic messaging to avoid spoofing attacks.

In addition, a DESFire EV3 is NFC Forum Type 4 Tag certified and has a 70 pF option which enables read range optimizations for small form factor designs. DESFire EV3 is ideal for use in transit tickets, e-passports, mobile payment and other contactless applications which require a higher level of security. Gallagher MIFARE DESFire cards are programmable, printable, and punchable with perfect flawless edges. They are available in a variety of formats and can be printed with your custom logo.

Enhanced performance

MIFARE DESFire EV2 is the latest chip in the MIFARE family and has surpassed its predecessor, MIFARE DESFire EV1, both in terms of capacity and functionality. In particular, EV2 is the first MIFARE chip to support 1 million read/write cycles, while previous models only supported 500,000. It is also backward compatible with older DESFire chips and offers several new functions, including SUN Message and Transaction Timer.

MIFare DESFire EV2 can hold as many applications as the memory size supports and after the product is deployed into the market, new applications can be loaded remotely. A purse can be shared between applications, enabling enhanced interoperability. In addition, a comprehensive set of security features gives MIFARE DESFire EV2 increased protection against social attacks and Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks.

The MIFARE DESFire EV2 IC is compatible with all existing NFC readers and complies with ISO/IEC 14443A, ISO/IEC 7816-4 commands and MIFARE DESFire D40 specifications. It enables the integration of closed-loop e-payment applications and local loyalty services in a single card, as well as logical and physical access control solutions. Its open concept also allows seamless future integration of alternate ticketing media such as key fobs and mobile ticketing based on Near Field Communication technology. The EV2 chips feature 3DES and modern AES hardware encryption and data transfer rates of up to 848 Kbit/s.

Enhanced flexibility

NXP’s MIFARE DESFire family provides the perfect balance of speed, performance and cost-efficiency. Its open concept also allows for seamless future integration of other ticketing media like smart paper tickets, banking convergence cards and mobile ticketing based on Near Field Communication (NFC).

The DESFire EV2 chip offers a number of benefits that are aimed at providing greater flexibility. This includes a new and improved operating temperature range, increased data transfer rates, mutual three pass authentication and an automatic anti-tear mechanism. Moreover, the EV2 supports the entire ISO/IEC 14443A 1-4 protocol with all four optional commands and uses an on-chip backup management system for enhanced security.

MIFARE DESFire EV2 is Common Criteria EAL5+ secure certified, which is the same level of security demanded by chips used in e-passports and banking cards. Using a tap-unique URL, crypto-secure SUN message authentication and a hardware cryptographic engine utilizing DES, 2K3DES or 3K3DES, the EV2 chip offers high levels of data integrity and privacy protection.

The DESFire EV2 is the ideal choice for closed-loop micropayment and access control applications. The EV2 chip can support multiple protocols including ISO/IEC 14443A, ISO/IEC 7816-4 and NFC. It is the most reliable and widely used contactless chip in the world. It can be embedded in plastic and other substrates to create smart cards for loyalty, transportation and logical access control applications.

Enhanced interoperability

The mifare desfire ev2 chip is backwards compatible, meaning that a solution developed for one generation of mifare cards can be easily upgraded to the next without the need for new hardware. This feature provides mifare desfire ev2 maximum interoperability and flexibility for customers with existing MIFARE systems that want to upgrade to the latest technology, whilst ensuring a smooth transition for their clients.

In addition, EV2 has enhanced interoperability features which allow it to work in multi-application schemes. This opens up opportunities for closed-loop e-payment applications, city services for citizen benefits and access control applications with multiple applications using the same card. Combined with MIsmartApp with Delegated Key Management and Transaction MAC, EV2 offers the ability to create custom key credentials for different applications that can then be read from the same product.

EV2 also provides more flexibility for the number of applications that can be stored on the chip, as it allows more files and a larger overall memory size to be loaded than its predecessors. This provides more scope for the use of a single MIFARE card in multi-application environments such as for printing, coffee machines or physical access systems.

In terms of security, EV2 has improved encryption, proximity checks to prevent relay attacks, and a new transaction timer to protect devices against man-in-the-middle attacks during a transaction. The EV2 chip also supports Configurable ATS information for card personalisation and high input capacitance (70 pF) to enable read range optimisation for small form factor designs.