System and method for a multi-application smart card which can facilitate a post-issuance download of an application onto the smart card

A method for loading a smart card application onto a smart card after said smart card has been issued to a cardholder, said method comprising:

• issuing said smart card to a cardholder, said smart card including a card domain application arranged to manage the post-issuance loading of applications and a security domain application arranged to manage the security of post-issuance loading of applications;
• establishing communication between said smart card and a provider of said smart card application;
• loading said smart card application onto said smart card;
• and
• invoking a cryptographic service of said security domain application to validate said smart card application, whereby said smart card application is loaded onto said smart card post-issuance in a secure manner.

A smart card arranged to load an application onto said smart card after said smart card has been issued to a cardholder, said smart card comprising:

• a card domain application arranged to manage loading of said application onto said smart card;
• and
• a security domain application arranged to manage the security of post-issuance loading of applications, said security domain application including
• a cryptographic key associated with said application,
• a cryptographic service for validating said application after said application has been loaded post-issuance, said cryptographic service using said cryptographic key, and
• a key management function associated with said cryptographic key, whereby said application may be loaded onto said smart card post-issuance in a secure manner using said security domain application.

A smart card arranged to load a plurality of applications onto said smart card after said smart card has been issued to a cardholder, said smart card comprising:

• a card domain application arranged to manage loading of said applications onto said smart card;
• a first security domain application arranged to provide security for a first application to be loaded post-issuance, said first security domain application including
• a first cryptographic key associated with said first application, said first cryptographic key being kept secret from said card domain and from a second security domain application;
• and
• said second security domain application arranged to provide security for a second application to be loaded post-issuance, said second security domain application including
• a second cryptographic key associated with said second application, said second cryptographic key being kept secret from said card domain and from said first security domain application, whereby said first and second applications may be loaded securely post-issuance using said first and second cryptographic keys, respectively.