Smart-card personalisation — the line, not just the card.
Personalisation is where issuer secrets meet pre-personalised cards under controlled conditions. The card is the cheap part; the line is the expensive part. AmbiSecure runs both, in-house, with HSM-rooted custody.
What personalisation actually does
A pre-personalised card from the silicon vendor has a fresh secure element with default keys, no applets, no per-card identity. Personalisation is the supervised process that:
- Loads the issuer's applets (FIDO2, PIV, EMV, eID, transit) onto the card under SCP02 / SCP03 secure messaging.
- Diversifies issuer master keys into per-card derivative keys using AES-CMAC (NXP AN10922) or equivalent.
- Writes per-card identity (PAN, AAGUID + serial, eID number, transit fare media ID).
- Loads attestation cert chain rooted in the issuer's CA.
- Locks the card into ISSUED state per GlobalPlatform 2.3.1 lifecycle.
- Records the card's identity in an issuance manifest signed by the issuer's HSM.
Each step is audited. Each step happens inside a tamper-evident facility. None of these steps can be repeated on a card after it leaves the line.
The line
Pre-personalised cards
From silicon vendors, in batches with fresh default keys. Tamper-evident shipping.
Key custody
FIPS 140-2 Level 3+ HSM holds the issuer master keys. Diversification happens inside the HSM; per-card derivatives are exported only to the card under SCP03.
Per-card flow
SCP03 channel; applet load + register + personalise + lock. Throughput depends on chip; 30-90 cards/hour per station typical.
Manifest + cards
Each card paired with its row in a HSM-signed issuance manifest (UID, AID, AAGUID, serial). Cards graded out, packaged, dispatched.
What we ship
Personalisation runs at our facility
Tamper-evident, audited, video-recorded. Customer can attend and verify.
Customer-controlled facility
For sovereign deployments. We supply the line; customer runs operations under their HSM.
Personalisation-as-a-service
Pre-personalisation by us; final personalisation (per-cardholder data) by the customer's in-country facility.
HSM-signed audit trail
Every card ships with a manifest entry the customer's RP can validate against attestation at registration time.
Standards we track
| Standard | Coverage |
|---|---|
| GlobalPlatform 2.3.1 + Amendment D (SCP03) | YES — applet load, register, personalise, lock under SCP03 secure channel. |
| FIPS 140-2 / 140-3 Level 3 | YES — HSM custody for issuer master keys. |
| Common Criteria EAL5+ | YES — secure-element platforms supported. |
| FIDO Alliance attestation | YES — per-batch attestation cert installed at line; AAGUID + serial recorded in manifest. |
| EMV personalisation | YES — VISA / Mastercard / Discover / RuPay personalisation flows supported. |
| eID issuance | YES — eIDAS qualified-credential issuance possible under customer roots. |
Pricing a personalisation line?
Tell us your volumes, your standards, your jurisdiction. We will price the line and quote the lead time.