The Security Level (SL) concept of NXP’s MIFARE Plus EV2 IC allows for a step-by-step upgrade of the system’s security by switching only certain applications to a higher security level. The highest security level, SL3, offers support for AES-128 based secure messaging and thus helps to prove authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of transactions.

1. EXTERNAL
NXP, THE NXP LOGO AND NXP SECURE CONNECTIONS FOR A SMARTER WORLD ARE TRADEMARKS OF NXP B.V.
ALL OTHER PRODUCT OR SERVICE NAMES ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. © 2020 NXP B.V.
A U G U S T 4 T H 2 0 2 0
Florian Mikulik
Senior Product Support Engineer, NXP
Security Level
SL3 Capabilities
A MIFARE Plus® EV2 KEY FEATURE
VIDEO

2. 1EXTERNAL
MIFARE Plus EV2 – SECURITY LEVEL 3 CAPABILITIES
U P G R AD E Y O U R S Y S T EM S S E C U R I T Y
Authenticity,
Confidentiality and
Integrity
based on AES-128
Virtual Card
Concept to be used
in smartphone-
based installations
ISO7816 APDU
format support
• Security Level 3 offers support for AES-128 based secure messaging, to provide authenticity, confidentiality and integrity to every
transaction
• Once a MIFARE Plus EV2 product-based card is switched to SL3, it also offers support for the Virtual Card Architecture concept, which
helps to manage a MIFARE Plus EV2 product-based card in a multi-application environment, designed for e.g. mobile phones performing
contactless transactions, holding more than one “virtual card”
 MIFARE Plus EV2 product-based card acts as a single “virtual card”, but supports necessary command infrastructure to be
indistinguishable from a multi-VC mobile phone, maintaining privacy for card holder
• In SL3, the MIFARE Plus EV2 supports ISO7816-4 compliant VC selection (ISOSelect), compliant with Java Card and GlobalPlatform
standards

3. 2EXTERNAL
MIFARE Plus EV2 – SECURITY LEVEL 3 CAPABILITIES
S E C U RE M E S S AG I N G
• Security Level switch is done through an AuthenticateFirst command targeting Block 9003h (SL3SwitchKey)
• A switch to SL3 disables the use of CRYPTO-1 completely
− Data and memory architecture of the card does not change at all – Block/Sector based memory model stays the same
• Initial memory space for CRYPTO-1 keys can now be used as additional user memory (+11 byte per sector)
− AES keys are stored outside the User Memory
• Plain or encrypted data access can be defined per Block
• Transaction management with session keys is possible via AuthenticateFirst and AuthenticateNonFirst
• Several options for read commands
− MAC on command
− MAC on response
− Data encrypted or plain
• Several options for write/value commands
− MAC on command
− MAC on response
− Data is always encrypted
• Additional features (TMAC, Transaction Timer, multi-block read/write, VCA) can be used

4. 3EXTERNAL
MIFARE Plus EV2 – SECURITY LEVEL 3 CAPABILITIES
I S O / I E C 7 8 1 6 -4 V I R T U AL C AR D AR C H I T E C T UR E
• MIFARE Plus EV2 supports ISOSelect and is complaint with Java Card and Global Platform mechanisms
• Using MIFARE Plus EV2 in Security Level 3 and ISO/IEC 7816-4 wrapped communication frames supports mobile operations
VC concept using ISO/IEC 7816-4 compliant selection method
Enables smartphone support in infrastructures
Transit
Pass
Transit
Pass

5. 4EXTERNAL
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION TIMER FEATURE
Item Number Availability
Datasheet - MIFARE Plus EV2 DS5223 NXP DocStore (confidential)
Application Note - MIFARE Plus EV2 Features and Hints AN5762 NXP DocStore (confidential)
Application Note - MIFARE Plus EV2 personalization commands AN5763 NXP DocStore (confidential)
Application Note - Card coil design notes for MIFARE Plus EV2 AN5759 NXP DocStore (confidential)
Application Note - Comparison between MIFARE Plus EV2 and
previous types
AN5760 NXP DocStore (confidential)
Application Note – Originality Signature Validation AN5764 NXP DocStore (confidential)
RFID Discover Software SW1866 NXP DocStore (confidential)
NXP Reader Library (Windows based) SW1717 NXP DocStore (confidential)

6. NXP, THE NXP LOGO AND NXP SECURE CONNECTIONS FOR A SMARTER WORLD ARE TRADEMARKS OF NXP B.V. ALL OTHER PRODUCT OR SERVICE NAMES ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. © 2020 NXP B.V.