MIFARE

MIFARE is a series of contactless integrated circuit (IC) chips widely used in smart cards and proximity cards. These chips are primarily used for access control, public transportation ticketing, and payment systems. Developed by NXP Semiconductors (formerly a division of Philips), MIFARE technology operates at the 13.56 MHz frequency band and complies with the ISO/IEC 14443 standard.

MIFARE chips come in several varieties, offering different levels of security, memory capacity, and functionality. Some of the most common MIFARE families include:

• MIFARE Classic: The original and widely deployed MIFARE technology. It is known for its simplicity and relatively low cost, but has been subject to security vulnerabilities. It uses a proprietary encryption algorithm.

• MIFARE DESFire: Offers higher security features than MIFARE Classic, including triple DES (3DES) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption. It is designed for applications requiring robust security and supports multiple applications on a single card.

• MIFARE Ultralight: A low-cost and low-memory solution often used for limited-use applications such as disposable tickets or product authentication.

• MIFARE Plus: Designed as an upgrade path from MIFARE Classic, offering enhanced security and compatibility with existing infrastructure.

MIFARE cards are typically passive devices, meaning they do not have their own power source. They are powered wirelessly by the radio frequency (RF) field generated by a reader device. When a MIFARE card is brought within the range of a reader, the RF field induces a current in the card's antenna, which powers the chip and enables communication between the card and the reader.

Due to the widespread adoption of MIFARE technology, particularly MIFARE Classic, security vulnerabilities have been discovered and exploited. Modern MIFARE implementations like DESFire and Plus are designed to address these vulnerabilities with stronger encryption and authentication mechanisms.