PCSCD(8) PC/SC Lite PCSCD(8)

pcscd - PC/SC Smart Card Daemon

pcscd [-acfTdeCvHSI] [--apdu] [--config dir] [--foreground] [--color] [--debug] [--info] [--error] [--critical] [--force-reader-polling] [-t number] [--max-thread number] [-s number] [--max-card-handle-per-thread number] [-r number] [--max-card-handle-per-reader number] [--version] [--hotplug] [--reader-name-no-serial] [--reader-name-no-interface] [--disable-polkit]
pcscd -h
pcscd --help

log APDUs and SW using the debug method (see --debug).
Specifies the directory dir as an alternate location for /etc/reader.conf.d/. The argument can also be a single configuration file (for backward compatibility).
Runs pcscd in the foreground and sends log messages to stderr instead of syslog(3).
force use of colored logs.
use the lowest log level. Any log message of this level or above will be sent to stderr or syslog(3) depending on the use of --foreground.
use info log level. This is the default log level.
use error log level.
use critical log level.

The log levels are ordered as: debug < info < error < critical. Use a log level l will log this level and all the levels above it.

ignore the IFD_GENERATE_HOTPLUG reader capability
maximum number of threads (default 200).

This is the maximum number of clients (SCardEstablishContext) that pcscd can handle.

maximum number of card handle per thread (default: 200).

This is the maximum number of card handle (SCardConnect) per client (SCardEstablishContext).

maximum number of card handle per reader (default: 200)

This is the maximum number of card handle (SCardConnect) per reader.

Displays information about the pcscd command line
Displays the program version number
Ask pcscd to re-read the /etc/reader.conf.d/my_reader.conf files to detect added or removed non-USB readers (serial or PCMCIA).
pcscd will quit after 60 seconds of inactivity after the release of the last PC/SC context. This is used when pcscd is started on demand by systemd.
Do not include the USB serial number in the reader name.
Do not include the USB interface name in the reader name.
Ignore polkit rules. All accesses are allowed.

pcscd is the daemon program for pcsc-lite. It is a resource manager that coordinates communications with smart card readers and smart cards and cryptographic tokens that are connected to the system.

It allows applications to access smart cards and readers using the WinSCard API but without knowing details of the card or reader.

pcscd coordinates the loading of drivers for card readers.

Smart card reader drivers are placed in the /usr/lib/pcsc/drivers directory. Each driver is simply an .so file. pcscd locates the driver using the /etc/reader.conf.d/my_reader.conf files. See the reader.conf(5) manual page for more information.

Some drivers are available at https://muscle.apdu.fr/musclecard.com/drivers.html.

USB smart card reader drivers are located in /usr/lib/pcsc/drivers directory as a bundle. You shall NOT add a USB driver in a /etc/reader.conf.d/my_reader.conf file.

It is possible to set arguments that will be used by pcscd with the configuration file /etc/default/pcscd For example you can increase the debug level using:

PCSCD_ARGS=--debug

Or set environment variables like:

PCSCLITE_FILTER_IGNORE_READER_NAMES="Twin"
PCSCLITE_FILTER_EXTEND_READER_NAMES=" $HOSTNAME"

See https://blog.apdu.fr/posts/2021/08/pcsc-lite-configuration-using/ for more details.

/etc/default/pcscd : daemon configuration file

/etc/reader.conf.d/* : Serial reader configuration files

/run/pcscd/pcscd.pid : process id of the running pcscd

/usr/lib/pcsc/drivers/ : directory containing bundles for USB drivers

reader.conf(5), syslog(3)

David Corcoran <corcoran@musclecard.com> and Ludovic Rousseau <ludovic.rousseau@free.fr>

December 2021 Muscle