Field revisions for a personal security device

1. A method of atomically modifying a personal security device, comprising:

presenting the personal security device to a reader/writer coupled to an access module;

the access module determining when the personal security device includes a factory security mechanism loaded into the personal security device by the manufacturer thereof;

when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism, the access module determining when the personal security device had been previously presented to the access module;

when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism and the personal security device had been previously presented to the access module, denying access to a user without modifying the personal security device; and

when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism and the personal security device had not been previously presented to the access module, using the reader/writer and the access module to replace the factory security mechanism with another security mechanism that is used for subsequent accesses, wherein replacing the factory security mechanism with said another security mechanism includes replacing an application on the personal security device by sending an application request command that replaces the application or creates an application in a single atomic step.

2. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the access module authenticates the personal security device in connection with replacing the factory security mechanism.

3. The method, according to claim 2 , wherein authenticating the personal security device grants access to a user through a door controlled by the access module.

4. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the personal security device is one of: a smart card, an integrated circuit card, a subscriber identification module (SIM), a wireless identification module (WIM), an identification token, a secure application module (SAM), a hardware security module (HSM), a secure multi-media card (SMMC), and a USB token.

5. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein an ISO/IEC 7816-13 application management request command is used to replace the application.

6. The method, according to claim 1 , wherein the personal security device includes an application manager and a plurality of applications managed by the application manager.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions executed in a processor that atomically modifies a personal security device, the instructions comprising:

executable code that determines when the personal security device presented to a reader/writer coupled to an access module includes a factory security mechanism loaded into the personal security device by a manufacturer thereof;

executable code that determines when the personal security device had been previously presented to the access module;

executable code that denies access to a user without modifying the personal security device when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism and the personal security device had been previously presented to the access module; and

executable code that uses the reader/writer and the access module to replace the factory security mechanism with another security mechanism that is used for subsequent accesses when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism and the personal security device had not been previously presented to the access module, wherein replacing the factory security mechanism with said another security mechanism includes replacing an application on the personal security device by sending an application request command that replaces the application or creates an application in a single atomic step.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium, according to claim 7 , the software further comprising:

executable code that causes the access module to authenticate the personal security device in connection with replacing the factory security mechanism.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium, according to claim 8 , wherein authenticating the personal security device grants access to a user through a door controlled by the access module.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium, according to claim 7 , wherein the personal security device is one of: a smart card, an integrated circuit card, a subscriber identification module (SIM), a wireless identification module (WIM), an identification token, a secure application module (SAM), a hardware security module (HSM), a secure multi-media card (SMMC), and a USB token.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium, according to claim 7 , wherein an ISO/IEC 7816-13 application management request command is used to replace the application.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium, according to claim 7 , wherein the personal security device includes an application manager and a plurality of applications managed by the application manager.

13. A physical access system, comprising:

a reader/writer for a personal security device;

an access module coupled to the reader/writer; and

the personal security device that is presented to the reader/writer, wherein the access module determines when the personal security device includes a factory security mechanism loaded into the personal security device by a manufacturer thereof, determines when the personal security device had been previously presented to the access module, denies access to a user without modifying the personal security device when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism and the personal security device had been previously presented to the access module, and uses the reader/writer to replace the factory security mechanism with another security mechanism that is used for subsequent accesses when the personal security device includes the factory security mechanism and the personal security device had not been previously presented to the access module, wherein replacing the factory security mechanism with said another security mechanism includes replacing an application on the personal security device by sending an application request command that replaces the application or creates an application in a single atomic step.

14. The physical access system, according to claim 13 , wherein the access module authenticates the personal security device in connection with replacing the factory security mechanism.

15. The physical access system, according to claim 14 , wherein authenticating the personal security device grants access to a user through a door controlled by the access module.

16. The physical access system, according to claim 13 , wherein the personal security device is one of: a smart card, an integrated circuit card, a subscriber identification module (SIM), a wireless identification module (WIM), an identification token, a secure application module (SAM), a hardware security module (HSM), a secure multi-media card (SMMC), and a USB token.

17. The physical access system, according to claim 13 , wherein an ISO/IEC 7816-13 application management request command is used to replace the application.

18. The physical access system, according to claim 13 , wherein the personal security device includes an application manager and a plurality of applications managed by the application manager.