PC/SC workgroup and WHQL test cards

PC/SC work group

The PC/SC work group was not only used for updating and distributing the PC/SC specification. It was also the reseller of a set of smart cards used by the WHQL process.

WHQL

WHQL is Windows Hardware Quality Labs. I am not a Windows user (and even less an expert) so I may be wrong here.

It looks like that smart card reader drivers need to go through the WHQL process to be signed by Microsoft and accepted by Windows systems.
The WHQL process for smart card reader driver required the use of a specific set of cards. This set of cards was sold by the PC/SC work group.

Test cards set

Since the PC/SC work group is now dead (see "http://www.pcscworkgroup.com is gone") it is no more possible to buy such cards set.

The Internet archive service do not have a copy of the "Test Cards" or "Test Cards Ordering" pages. I never used such test cards for my own use. I don't know what the procedure was to order such a Test Cards set.

Solution

I can't help here.
The best I can think of is to contact Microsoft so they provide the Test Cards set themselves or change the WHQL process to use something else.

Maybe some company that have one (or more) complete Test Cards set can rent the set for a good amount of money. If the set is rare it should be expensive (supply and demand). Why don't I have such set myself? 😀