Abstract: According to a first aspect of the present invention, cryptography without a dedicated microprocessor on the smart card is employed to provide authentication of both the smart card and the smart card reader, and wherein the cryptography provides only a preselected number of attempts at authentication, if not reset, before access to the smart card is denied permanently. According to a second aspect of the present invention, access to each the memory zones of the smart card may be individually provided by cryptography, passwords or both.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a secured memory comprises a first level security zone having an access code controlling access to the secured memory prior to an issuer fuse being blown, a security code attempts counter preventing access to the secured memory when a predetermined number of attempts at matching the access code have been made prior to resetting the security code attempts counter, a plurality of application zones, each of the plurality of application zones comprising: a storage memory zone, an application security zone having an application zone access code controlling access to the storage memory zone after an issuer fuse has been blown, an application zone security code attempts counter preventing access to the application zone when a predetermined number of attempts at matching the application zone access code have been made prior to resetting the application zone security code attempts counter, an erase key partition having an erase key code controlling erase access to the storage memory