October 18, 2012, Seoul - STMicroelectronics (hereinafter ST), a global semiconductor company serving diverse electronic device application fields, has unveiled the next-generation security microcontroller ST23ZR product family for transportation, banking, and electronic ID applications. This security microcontroller leverages ST's advanced 90nm manufacturing technology to enhance security features and support that comply with smart card standards preferred by major countries worldwide.

This device is currently the only security microcontroller that automatically distinguishes between ISO 14443 Type A or Type B contactless readers and responds with accurate protocols. With this dual-protocol flexibility as the foundation, ST can also penetrate major markets worldwide. This is because customers can develop a single software application and apply it to both standards, providing convenience. Furthermore, if this latest chip is utilized in public transportation, electronic payment, and electronic ID cards, it will operate smoothly with any reader regardless of whether it is legacy or single protocol type, providing greater convenience to users.

ST's newly introduced security microcontroller ST23ZR product family consists of dual-interface devices that support both ISO 7816-3 standard for contact cards and ISO 14443-A/B contactless protocols. It also supports Calypso and T-money electronic ticketing technologies, which are widely used in public transportation systems worldwide. It also provides complete wireless communication for contactless applications only.

Christian Vignes, Marketing Manager of the Personal Security division in ST Microelectronics' security microcontroller business division, stated, "Since the reader can automatically detect whether it is Type A or Type B, innovative card services are possible that allow seamless use of transportation networks between regions using different reader standards."

Recent memory-based transportation card hacking incidents have increased the need for security, and voices calling for transition to safer microcontroller-based transportation cards are growing. South Korea and China have already decided to transition their transportation networks from existing memory card-based solutions to security microcontroller chip cards. For ST, this marks an important market opportunity with the newly CC EAL5+ certified ST23ZR/ZC security microcontroller products.

ST has applied all the latest concepts related to card security to this new security microcontroller device, which reaches the level of high-end security processors for banking and passport management. Unlike competitors' chip card products that provide software-based security, ST's security microcontroller uses tamper-resistant hardware for strong security algorithms such as Triple DES (3-DES) and AES 256. Fast operation is also an advantage of the hardware-based model. All ST23ZR/ZC devices are certified with CC EAL5+ and EMVCo security certifications, meeting strict security standards for government and credit cards, enabling security against threats such as data manipulation within cards and identity theft.

Both the contactless product family and dual-interface product family provide a maximum of 8Kbyte on-chip EEPROM memory for user data.

Key features of ST23ZR08 product family
• Enhanced 8/16 bit ST23 processor core
• Low power consumption
• 97Kbyte user ROM
• Maximum 8Kbyte user EEPROM
2Kbyte (ST23ZR02 dual interface, ST23ZC02 contactless)
4Kbyte (ST23ZR04 dual interface, ST23ZC04 contactless)
8Kbyte (ST23ZR08 dual interface, ST23ZC08 contactless)
• Hardware-based cryptography accelerator (3DES, AES)
• Support for ISO 14443-A and ISO 14443-B contactless protocols
• Support for all contactless data rates between 106kbps and 848kbps
• Dual interface for contact (ISO 7816) or contactless applications

ST23ZR08 dual-interface and ST23ZC08 contactless chip samples are available subject to NDA execution. They can be provided as uncut wafers, micromodules, or cut dies.

This product has been developed for security applications under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and is not available through distributors. For more detailed information, please contact ST Korea.