TCOS Smartcards ⋅ Overview

Just as frozen food requires an uninterrupted cold chain from the manufacturer to the end consumer, secure information technology similarly demands seamless end-to-end security to ensure confidentiality and authenticity. This can only be achieved with high-quality keys and secure storage locations for them. The generation of high-quality cryptographic keys and their secure storage are technological and organizational challenges.

TeleSec Chipcard Operating System (TCOS)

As a solution, Telekom Security has developed a chip card operating system (TeleSec Chipcard Operating System, or TCOS for short), which is capable of securely storing keys and calculating the cryptographic algorithm within the chip. Once securely embedded, the keys never need to leave the smart card.

By associating identity attributes with these cryptographic keys, digital identities are created. Due to the previously described working method, the hardware security elements make these digital identities unique, meaning there are no copies of the keys. 

Based on TCOS, various standard products are available with or without key material in different form factors, with common ISO standards being a given.

Fields of application for TCOS Smartcards

Through a variety of designs and form factors, TCOS Smartcards adapt flexibly to any use case and are ideally suited for integration into existing or emerging systems. Typical application areas include, among others:

• Electronic signatures (advanced and qualified according SigG),
• De- and encryption,
• Enterprise or customer cards,
• Security systems (ID and key technology),
• Authentication (e.g. OneTimePass)
• Access solutions,
• Recording flexitime,
• Payment- and ticketing systems.

Drivers and Middleware

To integrate our TCOS products into operating systems, programs, and more, we provide drivers and middleware:

PKCS#11 enables applications to perform cryptographic operations such as encryption, decryption, digital signatures, and authentication without having to worry about the specific details of the underlying device.

For the management of TCOS Smartcards, CardManager.net is available. It assists in managing certificates and PINs.

With the TCOS Card Module, the TCOS smart card is integrated into the Microsoft® Windows operating system via the Microsoft® Smartcard BaseCSP.

The TCOS Securetoken driver integrates the TCOS smart card into the macOS operating system and provides the functionality of TCOS smart cards through the TCOS SecureToken driver in applications such as Microsoft Office and ADOBE Reader.

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Your advantages

• Own chipcard operating system 
  
  You benefit from mature solutions based on the reliable operating system TeleSec Chipcard Operating System (TCOS) that is maintained and developed by Telekom Security since 1990.
• Market leadership in the field of identification systems
  
  Our team has many years of experience and extensive knowledge in implementing evaluated and certified products and solutions. More than 190 Mio. Smartcards with TCOS are embedded in electronic passports and national ID card (e.g. German ID card, passport, residence permit and many more). More information: TCOS Identity Solutions
• Secure storage and anchors for digital identities 
  
  TCOS Smartcards support a broad range of cryptographic functions for signing and de-/encryption, for unambiguous authentication and identification of persons or IT components as well as protection against copying and plagiarism
• Hardware security in various form factors 
  
  Certified hardware security elements provide cryptographic functions that protect personal data from attacks such as side channel attacks, manipulation or "reverse engineering", thus ensuring secrecy, integrity and authenticity. Various form factors provide flexibility for different use cases.