Sony's contactless IC card chip acquires world's first EAL6+ certification of common criteria, standard for IT Security

The RC-SA00 next-generation FeliCa IC chip developed by Sony Corporation is the world's first contactless IC card chip with embedded software to acquire EAL6+ certification of Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408), the international standard for evaluation criteria for IT security.

In addition to the conventional DES (Data Encryption Standard) encryption algorithm, the RC-SA00 FeliCa IC chip is equipped with AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), a new-generation standard of encryption algorithm, to provide advanced security and performance for mutual authentication and encrypted communication with a reader/writer device. Sony began volume shipments of this product in summer of this year.

The EAL (Evaluation Assurance Level) in Common Criteria ranges from EAL1 to EAL7, and EAL6+ is defined as a level that offers extremely high security assurance for protecting high-value assets against severe security risks.

The RC-SA00 next generation FeliCa IC chip received EAL6+ certification from a third-party security evaluation body, and Sony will work towards introducing it into markets that demand robust security towards the future, for conventional applications that stress high security and performance, as well as for financial and payment purposes.

Since 1996, Sony has shipped over 600 million card chips and Mobile FeliCa chips, which have been incorporated into cards and mobile phones for applications ranging from transportation passes to electronic money. Sony will aim to create new services and lifestyles by continuing its efforts to increase NFC/FeliCa products, as well as to expand the environment that delivers user convenience through simple "tap."