test

Solaris Smart Cards Administration Guide

What Happens During a Smart Card Login

Smart cards let users log in to a secure desktop environment or protected application that otherwise would be closed to them. The following sequence explains what happens when someone logs in to a system protected by the default Smart Cards configuration:

  1. The user inserts the card into the card reader attached to the system.

  2. The user attempts to run a protected application, typically the Solaris desktop; other applications can be protected by smart cards, as well.

  3. The application prompts the user to type the user's personal identification number (PIN), and then compares the typed PIN with the PIN stored on the card.

  4. If the typed PIN and the PIN stored on the card match, the application then searches the password database specified in the system's /etc/nsswitch.conf file (NIS, NIS+, or local files) for this password.

  5. If the application finds this password in the system's password database, it considers the user authenticated and logs in the user.