CardOS

Native smartcard operating system for secure identity, authentication, signature, and embedded security applications.

Overview

The secure foundation for digital identity

Eviden CardOS® is a high-security, multifunctional native smartcard operating system designed for contact-based and contactless interfaces. It supports a broad range of applications, including eID, electronic passports and citizen cards, health insurance and professional cards, employee badges, signature cards, and customer cards. CardOS supports custom packages to extend or adjust operating system functionality and includes an authentication framework that can realize different authentication protocols through configuration data. With NFC support, it is suited for logical access with mobile devices. It supports modern algorithms such as AES, SHA-2, and elliptic curves, plus Common Criteria EAL4+ certification and eIDAS-related QSCD / QSealCD listing claims.

Key capabilities

  • Native multi-application smartcard operating system
  • Contact-based and contactless interface support
  • Authentication framework with configurable protocols
  • NFC support for mobile logical access
  • Modern cryptography plus eIDAS-related signature capabilities.


Embedded smartcard OS for identity, signature, authentication, FIDO2, and IoT controller applications across multiple card and secure-element form factors. 

Key features

What sets CardOS apart

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Broad application coverage

Supports multiple identity and security use cases on one native smartcard operating system.
eID, electronic passports, citizen cards, health insurance and professional cards, employee badges, signature cards, customer cards, FIDO2, and IoT security-controller firmware applications.
 

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Flexible extension and authentication framework

Extends operating-system functionality with custom packages and configuration-based protocol handling.
All applications are expandable by customer-specific packages and that the authentication framework can realize different authentication protocols using configuration data.

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Security and compliance foundation

Combines modern cryptographic support with certification and eIDAS-related signature claims.
Common Criteria EAL4+ certification, support for RSA and ECC signatures, and listing as an eIDAS-compliant QSCD and QSealCD in the notification list of eIDAS member states.

Benefits

Improved operational continuity

One platform for many card programs

One platform for many card programs

Supports multiple identity, authentication, and signature scenarios across contact-based and contactless smartcard deployments.

M

More adaptable smartcard architectures

Custom packages and configuration-based authentication help adapt functionality without replacing the system core.

S

Stronger cryptographic and mobile-readiness

NFC support and modern algorithms such as AES, SHA-2, and elliptic curves align the platform with mobile logical-access and contemporary crypto requirements.

Why Eviden

Why choose CardOS

Strong security for the highest demands of a multi-application card

  • Combines native smartcard OS functionality with FIDO2 and IoT application variants
  • Supports customer-specific extension packages and configurable authentication protocols
  • Pairs Common Criteria EAL4+ claims with eIDAS-related QSCD / QSealCD listing claims


Proof & Evidence

Certifications: Common Criteria EAL4+ certification and eIDAS-compliant QSCD / QSealCD listing claims

Compliance: German signature law, Austrian signature law, and eIDAS-related qualified-signature

 

Optional proof

Standards leadership: Product page references contact and contactless interfaces, NFC, ICAO Doc9303-aligned MRTD application, and modern crypto algorithms

Architecture & Integration

Deployment model: Embedded native operating system on smart cards and secure elements
Supported platforms / form factors: Contact-based smart cards, dual-interface smart cards, secure elements, and USB / contactless token variants listed across CardOS versions

Key integrations:

  • Contact-based and contactless interfaces
  • NFC-enabled mobile logical access
  • PKI-oriented card applications
  • FIDO2 token solutions
  • IoT security-controller firmware

Standards supported: ICAO Doc9303-aligned MRTD application, contact-based and contactless smartcard interface support, NFC, Common Criteria EAL4+, eIDAS QSCD / QSealCD claims, AES, SHA-2, RSA, ECC
Example platform variants listed: V5.0, V5.3, V5.3 (DI), V5.4 (DI), V5.4 (IoT), V5.5 (DI), V5.6 (USB), V6.0 / V6.1, and V8 PQC

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Eviden CardOS is a secure smart card operating system designed for digital identity, strong authentication, electronic signatures, and embedded security applications. It provides the trusted foundation for identity credentials used in eID schemes, smart cards, passports, health cards, employee badges, FIDO2 credentials, and IoT devices.

CardOS supports a wide range of identity and security applications, including electronic IDs (eID), electronic passports, citizen cards, health insurance and professional cards, employee badges, signature cards, customer cards, FIDO2 authentication, and IoT security deployments.

Yes. CardOS is Common Criteria EAL4+ certified and is listed as an eIDAS-compliant QSCD and QSealCD in the notification lists of eIDAS member states. This makes it suitable for high-assurance identity, authentication, and qualified trust service use cases.

Yes. CardOS supports both contact and contactless smart cards, including NFC-based mobile access scenarios. It supports established cryptographic algorithms such as RSA, ECC, AES, and SHA-2, and is available in variants including CardOS V8 PQC to address emerging post-quantum cryptography requirements.

Solution

Eviden CardOS

The multifunctional smart card operating system for certified multi-application solutions satisfying highest demands


Flexibility, speed and security need to go hand in hand in today’s business environment. It’s no longer an option to have fixed, static and slow-moving security that prevents business from moving at the required pace. Yet, security is more critical than ever before.
For many years, smart cards have been the foundation of state-of-the-art security solutions. Eviden smart cards are used by public authorities, businesses and institutions, because CardOS addresses today’s unique business problems.

Through our leading CardOS® solutions, we provide you with smart cards that guarantee identity and control access and make you more efficient in your business and your interaction with customers and citizens.
Our Eviden CardOS V6.1 smart card operating system provides an outstanding level of functionality and security. Used across all different markets, CardOS V6.1 offers a multitude of applications like eID, ePassports, citizen cards, health insurance and health professional cards, employee badges, signature cards, as well as loyalty cards.

With CardOS V6.1 Eviden has further developed its well-known versatile and powerful smart card operating system. It perfectly combines flexibility with the very highest security requirements. As well, CardOS represents the many years of know-how Eviden has developed by being both a European-leading systems integrator and a leader in smart card development.

 

Eviden CardOS V6.1 - factsheet

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