Smart card management system

A Smart Card Management System (SCMS) is a system for managing smart cards through the life cycle of the smart cards. Thus, the system can issue the smart cards, maintain the smart cards while in use and finally take the smart cards out of use (EOL). Chip/smart cards provide the foundation for secure electronic identity, and can be used to control access to facilities, networks or computers. As the smart cards are security credentials for authenticating the smart card holder the security requirements for a smart card management system are often high and therefore the vendors of these systems are found in the computer security industry.