Questions & Answers for SCM SCR3500 Smart Card Reader

This is just the hardware device (smart card reader) like you would purchase other readers to access your CAC on any platform. This device allows the physical card to be accessed by software running on the computer via the USB port. This reader is CCID compliant and can be used on any platform.

Any software (Native in the OS -OR- from third-party providers) would be required to use the certificates & private keys on the card to perform tasks such as signing forms as you asked. You have several options available to you both from Open Source and Commercial resources.

• Answered by Shawn G from Fairfax
• May 21, 2012
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This is a CCID Compliant Reader which works automatically with the built-in Smart Card CCID Class Reader Driver if that is what you are asking. No programming has ever been needed for use of Smart Cards on Mac OS X (by end users), so am not sure of your reference. Other platforms have CCID Class Reader drivers, so the reader will work with them as well.

The one requirement on Mac OS X is that you have a corresponding Tokend installed for your card(s) in use. The original CAC has been supported since 10.2.3 with some of the new CACNG (2 Applets: CACv2 & PIV). Pre-installed with Mac OS X are tokend support for: BELPIC, CAC, JPKI, and PIV.

The CACNG support for Mac OS X 10.5 & 10.6 began with the release of the beta Tokend from the Apple managed Open Source Project at SmartCardServices.MacOSForge.Org. They also host User/Dev mailing lists for assistance which might be of help to you and others.

Summarizing: This reader is fully compatible and just works, but keep in mind that is one part of the equation. If you have a newly issued CAC (i.e. CACNG) then you would need to grab the beta Tokend from MacOSForge as noted above.

• Answered by Shawn G from Fairfax
• Nov 22, 2010
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No, unfortunately it will not work, as there are specific device related drivers and depending on what you are attempting to access, some software that might have to be installed in order for the reader to work. As such, it is limited to standard desktop operating systems for the time being.

• Answered by Nathanael H from Indianapolis
• Mar 2, 2012
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This device is a hardware interface between a plastic card form factor of a Smart Card and a USB port on a computer. It has no capabilities in and of its own. You are looking for software tools to run to perform those tasks - this would not provide that for you.

• Answered by Shawn G from Fairfax
• Jul 18, 2011
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This is a CCID Smart Card Reader - Hardware. Your Mac OS X application would need to know how to handle the security objects on the card (i.e. X.509 Identity). Any Mac OS X Application would be able to see and use it like any other Keychain using the Keychain APIs.

As of v4.2, iOS does not provide any Smart Card Services with which to provide system-wide support for a Smart Card or Smart Card Reader. Your iOS Application would need to support both the hardware and the objects on the cards you would have in use. And of course, you would also need some 30-PIN to USB adaptor for an iPAD as well, but that is the least of your worries right now.

• Answered by Shawn G from Fairfax
• Jan 23, 2011
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