The use of a representation agent as a solution to wireless drawbacks: application in the context of smart cards

All data related to individuals are most of the time personal and consequently sensitive especially in information systems. Ensuring a strong level of security by protecting this data is a major concern. One solution is the use of smart cards. Access to data stored in chip cards are controlled by a small microprocessor embedded in the card. The overall amount of information contained in smart cards defines a large and specific distributed information system. One the characteristics of this typical system is that the data contained in the card is not always reachable as the card is not often connected to an on-line network. Accessing the data and services provided by smart cards remains a serious issue in smart card based systems. This paper presents the main advantages of using smart cards and also examines a number of drawbacks. A distributed architecture is then proposed. Finally, security and fault-tolerant strategies to ensure the correct working of the system are described