The SAM (Secure Access Module) provides the secure storage of cryptographic keys and cryptographic functions. This can be used to handle the encryption in communicating with the contactless cards. There is also the MIFARE SAM AV2 contact smart card. Subtypes: MIFARE DESFire EV1, MIFARE DESFire EV2, MIFARE DESFire EV3 and MIFARE DESFire Light. The DES in the name refers to the use of a DES, two-key 3DES, three-key 3DES and AES encryption while Fire is an acronym for Fast, innovative, reliable, and enhanced. MIFARE DESFire Contactless ICs that comply with parts 3 and 4 of ISO/IEC 14443-4 Type A with a mask-ROM operating system from NXP. Subtypes: MIFARE Ultralight C, MIFARE Ultralight EV1, MIFARE Ultralight Nano and MIFARE Ultralight AES. MIFARE Ultralight Low-cost ICs that are useful for high volume applications such as public transport, loyalty cards and event ticketing. Subtypes: MIFARE Plus S, MIFARE Plus X, MIFARE Plus SE and MIFARE Plus EV2. MIFARE Plus Drop-in replacement for MIFARE Classic with certified security level (AES-128 based) and is fully backward compatible with MIFARE Classic. Subtypes: MIFARE Classic EV1 (other subtypes are no longer in use).

MIFARE Classic Employs a proprietary protocol compliant to parts 1–3 of ISO/IEC 14443 Type A, with an NXP proprietary security protocol for authentication and ciphering. The MIFARE brand name (derived from the term MIKRON FARE collection and created by the company Mikron) covers four families of contactless cards: MIFARE products are embedded in contactless and contact smart cards, smart paper tickets, wearables and phones. The MIFARE trademark is owned by NXP Semiconductors, which was spun off from Philips Electronics in 2006. According to NXP, 10 billion of their smart card chips and over 150 million reader modules have been sold. It uses AES and DES/Triple-DES encryption standards, as well as an older proprietary encryption algorithm, Crypto-1. The brand includes proprietary solutions based on various levels of the ISO/IEC 14443 Type A 13.56 MHz contactless smart card standard. MIFARE is a series of integrated circuit (IC) chips used in contactless smart cards and proximity cards.

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