Re: Question about multiple applications

The OpenSC PKCS#11 relies on the PCSC layer to lock access to the card across multiple applications.

https://github.com/OpenSC/OpenSC/wiki/PCSC-and-pcsc-lite

http://ludovic.rousseau.free.fr/softwares/pcsc-tools/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/secauthn/smart-card-and-reader-access-functions

In regards to one application modifying the card while another application is waiting for events,
the event will contain a SCARD_W_* return.

The application (A) that modified the card in such a drastic way should do a card reset,
that will cause the the event returned to (B) will cause (B) to start over.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/SecAuthN/authentication-return-values

Doing do a C_InitToken is like formatting your hard drive. Most applications can not copy with this.
In other words don't do it while other applications are running.


On 12/18/2018 9:06 PM, Bob Backlund wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Just some question about how the OpenSC PKCS# 11 (DLL) handles the multiple applications using it.
> 
> The scenario is I have two applications, application A and application B loading the same DLL.
> 
> Application B loops continuously, calling C_WaitForSlotEvent and C_GetTokenInfo, basically it just checks for the insert and remove events from the smart card.
> 
> Application A can call C_InitPIN and C_InitToken.
> 
> The conflict happens when, while the application B is checking for smart card events, application A then calls C_InitToken, which deletes the smart card contents, and formats it to be a new card, (and 
> possibly deleting the PKCS# 15 objects) and the next call to C_OpenSession fails returning CKR_TOKEN_NOT_PRESENT error.
> 
> When I try to check the logs, the state of the smart card become ABSENT , I can see this during the C_InitToken, when sc_detect_card_presence is called.
> 
> When I try to run application A, and call C_InitToken without the application B running, I do not encounter this issue, and the smart card does not become ABSENT but instead I can see from the logs 
> that its state become CHANGED.
> 
> I am not sure if this is the expected behavior or where or how I should handle it. I am not sure if this is also an issue on the OpenSC PKCS# 11 DLL or the smart card. I tried to look at the available 
> documentation but couldn't find an answer to this,
> 
> Your expert opinion is greatly appreciated.
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> fightingsibuyas
> 
> 
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-- 

  Douglas E. Engert  <[email protected]>