Smart card readers (Linux and Mac OS X)

OpenSC targets smart cards, not smart card readers. So to use your smart card, you need a working smart card reader first.

OpenSC is supposed to work with any supported smart card (see SupportedHardware for a list) if you have a driver for your card reader or USB token. If you're unsure, you need a PC/SC driver, which 99.9% of vendors provide for at least Windows platform. CT-API drivers are also supported (only if required and a driver is available from reader vendor, CT-API is a deprecated interface) and OpenCT (on Linux/BSD, if the reader or token does not work with pcsc-lite).

USB

Most common connector type for smart card readers is USB.

CCID

Almost all recent USB smart card readers follow the CCID specification. But not all. For USB dongles, a driver is needed for the USB connection if the token uses a proprietary protocol. For a list of CCID smart card readers supported by libccid see https://ccid.apdu.fr/ccid/section.html. If you are planning to buy a smart card reader, be sure to check for CCID compliance (and extended APDU support if you want to be somewhat future-proof).

Some readers claim "CCID compatible" in marketing material but are not compliant (don't work with operating system provided CCID drivers) in real life. Readers known to do this are:

• ACS ACR83
• ACS APG8201

USB tokens (PC/SC)

• Schlumberger/Axalto e-gate pcsc-lite driver: see Using-Schlumberger-e-gate-on-Linux

USB tokens (OpenCT)

• FIXME List of tokens supported by OpenCT

PIN pad readers

• Notes about CT-API and PinpadReaders

Bluetooth readers

If someone has experience with any of these, please comment.

• https://www.apriva.com/mobile-security/apriva-reader/ (SDK available under NDA/license, including for Android)
• https://www.blackberry.com/solutions/pdfs/SmartCardReaderBrochure.pdf
• https://www.hidglobal.com/products/2061 End-of-life (Windows-only PC/SC driver, proprietary/NDA low level protocol)

Information on using existing PC/SC reader over bluetooth on Android: https://github.com/seek-for-android/pool/wiki/BTPCSC