Process and apparatus for authenticating or certifying at least one item of information contained in a memory of a removable and portable electronic carrier, such as a card

A portable electronic card for certifying at least one item of information transferred to the card from a transaction apparatus comprising at least one memory (m) within the card, said memory containing at least one item of information (I) to be certified, means (TC) within the card for execution of a program (P), said program being stored in the memory (m) and upon execution gives a result (R) taking account at least the information (I) and an address (a) of said information (I) in the memory (m), and means for communicating said address (a) to the means for execution (TC) externally of the card.

A transaction apparatus adapted to be coupled with a portable electronic card (C) for certifying at least one item of information on the card (C) comprising a memory (M), means (TM) for processing a program (P) and a comparator circuit (CC), said program (P) being contained in the memory (M) and whose execution by the means (TM) takes into account of at least information (I) to be certified and an address (a) in said information (I) being stored at a memory (m) of the card (C) so as to yield a result (R'), said comparator circuit (CC) comparing the result (R') with a result (R) calculated within the card whereby agreement between said results (R and R') establish the authentication of the information (I).

A system for authenticating at least one item of information recorded in a portable electronic card from a transaction terminal, said card includng at least one first memory (M) within said card for storing at least one item of information (I) to be authenticated at an address (A), a program (P) stored within the first memory (M) and first means within the card for execution of said program to provide a first result (R) taking into account at least the information (I) and the address of the information (I) in the first memory (m), said transaction terminal including a second memory (M), a comparator circuit and second means for execution of the program (P), said program (P) being stored in the second memory (M), execution of said program (P) at said transaction terminal taking into account at least the information (I) to be certified, the address (a) of the information (I) in the memory (m) to provide a second result (R'), means coupling said card to said transaction terminal to enable execution of said program (P) by said first and second means and to effect a comparison of the first and second results (R and R') to establish authentication of the information (I) recorded in the card at address (a).