Here are step-by-step instructions about how to get the Swedish e-Legitimation to work in Linux. The instructions are specifically for Nordea bank customers.

You need the “pocket calculator” cardreader (I used Todos NCR1), a suitable USB cable and a card with an EMV chip. If you have Nordea-issued bankkort or VISA you’re OK.

Note: These instructions are Debian-specific but they should work with other distros too with appropriate, slight changes.

Update: Signing will most likely be broken for you, but you can fix the signing too.

Step 1. Get the driver + Nexus personal

Go to this Nordea page to download.

Interestingly, I could not find the page from within Nordea’s web page. Also, the information on that page was not in the same place as for the other OSs (Windows, MacOSX). No pain, no gain!

Step 2. Activate e-Legitimation on your card

Log in to Nordea’s web site. Then go to Vardagsärenden, e-legitimation, kort and choose activate. Sign with the Todos box as usual.

Click the link to go back to cards page. You should see your cards in Inaktiv status.

Click Aktivera. Tick the box for Uttag activation, and proceed.

Now you need to go to an ATM and make a money withdrawal. This will finally activate e-legitimation in your card by downloading some data from the bank.

Step 3. Install the software

Yeah, I wish it were all open source, in case of problems… but it’s not. Take a deep breath and prepare to install some Chinese driver binaries, plus a binary-only browser plugin, etc.

But first verify that you get printout like the following when you:

• attach the USB cable to your Todos box
• issue “dmesg” command


[4332544.912080] usb 2-3: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4
[4332545.162128] usb 2-3: New USB device found, idVendor=0b0c, idProduct=002e
[4332545.162142] usb 2-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[4332545.162151] usb 2-3: Product: Nordea E-code
[4332545.162158] usb 2-3: Manufacturer: Todos Data System AB
[4332545.162369] usb 2-3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice


If that was OK, proceed. Otherwise make your USB work :)

Next, you need pcscd and libccid.

apt-get install pcscd and libccid

Unzip the Nexus and do as root:

./install.4.10.2.16.sh i

Unzip + install the driver:

unzip NCR1_Linux.zip

The zip contains a .deb so you’ll need to install it too:

dpkg --install NordeaDeb_1.0.0_i386.deb

Now the software part is done.

Step 4. Test drive

Restart Firefox.

Start Nexus application. Attach Todos reader NCR1 with USB cable. Insert your card. You should see something other than “Unknown” in it.

Nordea’s own test page is broken – they expect Microsoft Internet Explorer (maybe some ActiveX control too) for some totally screwball reason, I did not investigate this further. So it’s best to try e.g. Skatteverket’s page where you can check your Skattekonto.

Note: When prompted for a certificate, choose the certificate with “Basic PIN” in it. The other option did not work for me.

Enter your card PIN in the Todos box when prompted.

The web page should open properly, now you’ve got e-Legitimation!