Glossary

Answer to Reset (ATR)

A property that is assigned to each smart card type by the manufacturer that identifies the version of the smart card. An equivalent property is stored on the system to assist in authentication.

ATR

See Answer to Reset.

authentication

The process of verifying a user's identity.

CDE

See Common Desktop Environment.

challenge-response

A form of authentication whereby the smart card is loaded with a DES key used in response to a random number generated by the system and sent to the card when the card is inserted in the card reader.

Common Desktop Environment (CDE)

A desktop application used in the Solaris Operating System (OS).

Console pane

The pane in the Smartcard Console that contains icons for various management tasks.

Information pane

The pane in the Smartcard Console that contains a brief description of the category or icon just clicked, as well as instructions for beginning the task associated with that category or icon.

Navigation pane

The pane in the Smartcard Console that lists major categories of tasks that are involved in setting up smart cards.

personal identification number (PIN)

A unique number used to identify a user.

PIN

See personal identification number.

private key

A type of security that works in a public-key infrastructure, involving pairs of key strings. The private-key part of this pair is stored on the smart card.

Solaris Smartcard

Name of the software that enables the use of smart cards in a Solaris Operating System (OS).

smart card

A plastic card that has been initialized in such a way as to allow the user to access a system by inserting the card into a card reader.

Smartcard Console

The GUI tool that enables an administrator to manage Solaris Smartcard.

symmetric key

Another term for the DES key described in the challenge-response authentication method.