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Smart Card Minidriver Specification

Smart Card Minidriver Specification, v7.07

File name: sc-minidriver_specs_v7.07.docx
668 KB
Updated: October 19, 2012
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Smart Card Minidriver Specification, v.7

File name: sc-minidriver_specs_V7.docx
575 KB
Updated: July 1, 2009
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Smart Card Minidriver Specification, v.6.02

File name: sc-minidriver_specs_V6-final.docx
252 KB
Updated: March 7, 2008
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Smart Card Minidriver Specification, v.5.07

File name: sc-minidriver_specs_V5.doc
432 KB
Updated: September 12, 2007
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About This Download

Smart card vendors can write card minidrivers to present a consistent interface to their smart card type to the Microsoft Smart Card Base Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) or Crypto Next Generation (CNG) Key Storage Provider (KSP) and to the Smart Card Management Interface. These card minidrivers plug in to Windows operating system code. The functionality in a card minidriver is narrowly scoped and carefully defined so that the card-dependent code is simple to implement and easy to verify functionally.

This specification provides implementation guidelines for Base CSP and KSP card minidrivers.

Version 7

This information applies for the Windows 7 operating system.

What's New in v.7:

Version 7 is an extension to version 6 of the Windows Smart Card Minidriver Specification. This version includes the following new information:

  • Secure key injection.

  • Support for RSA padding removal operations in the smart card.

  • Overview of smart card Plug and Play.

  • New CardCreateContainerEx API.

  • New card container property for ECDSA/ECDH key association.

  • Overview of the generic inbox minidriver that supports PIV.

Version 6.02

This information applies for the Windows Vista operating system.

Included in this version:

  • Card-Specific Minidriver Details

  • Manifest and General Imports

  • Card Minidriver API Reference

  • File System Requirements

  • Card Requirements

  • Developer Notes and Guidelines

What's New in v.6.02:

  • Section 3.14: Clarify registry requirement.

  • Section 3.2.3.1: Clarify supported padding algorithm.

  • Section 4.2.2: Clarify CardAuthenticatePin behavior w.r.t. EXTERNAL PIN and empty PIN.

  • Section 4.2.8: Clarify CardDeAuthentcateEx behavior.

  • Allow custom card properties and container properties.

  • Correct incorrect card property names so that they are consistent with cardmod.h.

  • Section 7.3: Clarify the refcount behavior of session PIN.

Version 5.07

This information applies for the following operating systems:
Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
Microsoft Windows XP

Included in this version:

  • Requirements, Goals, and Change Synopsis

  • Card-Specific Minidriver Details

  • Functional Requirements

  • Implementation Guidelines

  • Sample Physical Data Layout on the Card

  • Related Documents

What's new in v.5.07:Fixes to a few specification bugs.