The new specification exploits much of the security, flexibility and software interoperability of the original MULTOS platform. This specification, available by the end of the year, affords issuers better choice and control by allowing them to individually manage vendors across the supply chain ? from operating system implementers to card personalisation bureaux. First silicon is expected in the first half of 2004. The platform?s guaranteed application software interoperability across both individual implementations and MULTOS provides a low cost step-up to a fully asymmetric, high assurance platform without the need for redevelopment. This will enable issuers to seamlessly expand their card base to include full PKI-based MULTOS smart cards as they wish. The new platforms certificate formats, and its card enablement and application load and delete processes are consistent with MULTOS. For bureaux equipped for MULTOS, virtually no changes are required and all existing EMV for MULTOS applications (except PKI) will be available for immediate use. A number of innovations are introduced which make possible multi-application cards with as little as 4K of EEPROM memory. A new FREEZE command allows the card issuer to preserve the state of the card and prevent any further loading or deleting of applications. This command can be issued at any time during the card lifecycle and has no effect on changes to applications data.
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