Smart Card Reader Software Download Mac Updated

Smart Card Reader Software Download Mac

Apple tree Mac and iMac systems come up with a range of connection ports, commonly including the USB-A interface widely used past desktop smartcard readers – Identify the ports on your Mac.

If you're looking for a smartcard reader for MacBooks – see our related post on the All-time Smartcard Readers for Apple MacBooks with Thunderbolt three, Thunderbolt four or USB-C ports.

Note – it'southward important to sympathise that smartcard readers conforming to common manufacture standards (such every bit PC/SC¹ & CCID²) will not make the information read from a smartcard visible natively in macOS (or any other Os). Os X and various unlike applications handle data from smartcards for specific purposes, so it's the individual application that defines what kind of information the card needs to provide, the card technology used, and consequently the required reader compatibility.

Smartcard reader drivers for macOS

If your Mac doesn't recognise a smartcard reader when it's plugged in, drivers must exist downloaded from the reader manufacturer and installed.

Installing drivers is the same equally installing whatsoever other software on Bone X. Download the software to your hard drive. If information technology is a zip file, unzip the file. If it is a disk image, open up the disk prototype. If information technology has an installer, run the installer. If information technology doesn't accept an installer, drag the file to the applications folder.

Best Smartcard readers for Apple Mac – Contact Card Readers

Smartcards with physical chip contacts are commonly used for security and authentication applications. The CCID (Bit Card Interface Device) USB protocol allows a smartcard to be continued to a calculator via a card reader using a standard USB interface.

Since macOS 10.fifteen (Catalina) native support for PIV (Personal Identity Verification) smartcards, together with USB CCID form-compliant readers, has been included. PIV is an open standard used by commercial and government organisations for two-factor authentication, digital signing and encryption – more detail at Apple.com.

By default, when an initialised (not blank) PIV smartcard is inserted into a menu reader fastened to a macOS auto the user is prompted to "pair" the card with their account. 'Local Business relationship Pairing' allows the card to be used to log in to the user's business relationship. It's also possible to configure usage of the card with a directory service, and switch to the screen-saver automatically when a user removes their card. However, using the card with other application or websites does not require the card to be paired with the user's Apple account – more detail at Apple.com.

The CCID readers below are ideal for Mac / iMac with USB-A ports, and the manufacturers provide downloadable drivers for macOS if required.

Thales Gemalto IDBridge CT30 CCID smartcard reader – USB-A

Drivers: Recent versions of Mac Os X include native support for this reader. (Thales Gemalto driver download)
Identiv uTrust 2700R CCID smartcard reader with stand – USB-A

Drivers: Mac drivers from Identiv for uTrust 2700R

All-time Smartcard readers for Apple Mac – RFID/NFC Card/Tag Readers

At that place is much greater variation in the extent to which standards are supported by contactless bill of fare readers, therefore is it even more than important that reader compatibility is checked with the specific application.

There are a variety of readers suitable for Macs with USB-A ports that support the most common RFID and NFC standards:

HID Omnikey 5023 CL contactless loftier frequency reader – USB-A

thirteen.56MHz contactless smartcard reader that works with a wide range of card types including iClass Seos, iClass SE, iClass, MIFARE Classic and MIFARE DESFireDrivers: Recent versions of Mac OS Ten include native support for this reader.
Identiv uTrust 3700F contactless high frequency reader – USB-A

xiii.56MHz contactless reader for ISO 14443 cards and ISO 18092 NFC tags or NFC-enabled smart phones.

Drivers: Mac drivers from Identiv for uTrust 3700F
ACS ACR1252U contactless high frequency reader – USB-A

13.56MHz contactless smartcard reader that supports ISO 14443 type A and B cards, MIFARE, FeliCa, and ISO 18092–compliant NFC cards and tags. Replacing the popular ACR122U.

Drivers: PC/SC Driver Installer for Mac OS X from ACS for ACR1252
HID Omnikey 5025 CL contactless low frequency reader – USB-A

125kHz USB contactless smartcard reader that works with low frequency physical access control cards such as HID Prox.

Drivers: HID OMNIKEY 5x2x, xx21 PCSC Commuter for Mac OS X

If you need further help or advice with choosing the right smartcard reader for your requirements contact Smartcard Focus.

¹ PC/SC (Personal Computer/Smart Card) is the well-nigh widely implemented standard for the integration of USB smartcard readers with computers – a version of this is arranged into Os X.
² CCID (fleck menu interface device) protocol is a USB protocol that allows a smartcard to exist continued to a computer via a card reader. Native support for USB CCID form-compliant readers has been included in Bone 10 from version 10.15 (Catalina).