We provide a short list of compatible with Linux hardware that can be used for the implementation of a Public Key Infrastructure. Currently we focus on crypto hardware acceleration expansion cards and smart cards.
For the succesfull use of smart cards, a programming interface to the smart card needs to be implemented. Currently, there are two such standards that describe interfaces to access a smart card from a computer. The first is PC/SC which was originally developed for the Windows platform and the latter is the OpenCard Framework (OCF) which is a cross–platform solution, since it uses Java.
Bull manufactures a cryptographic accelerator called TrustWay Crypto PCI 2000. Cryptographic accelerators and other hardware devices can be accessed from the applications using the Common Data Security Architecture (CDSA). Bull has created a Linux implementation of CDSA and is selling a VPN product that bundles both the implementation and the hardware device. For more on CDSA, please read the section called Common Data Security Architecture (CDSA). For the part of the cryptographic accelerator, it can be sold seperately for about 2500 Euros.