A smart card reader for generating electronic signatures in conjunction with an inserted smart card comprising: a communication interface for communicating with a host computer; a smart card connector for communicating with the smart card; a first memory component for securely storing one or more cryptographic keys; a user interface comprising a user output interface for presenting information to the user and a user input interface for receiving user indications; a data processing component for communicating with the host computer, communicating with the smart card and driving the user interface; said smart card reader being adapted to exchange smart card commands with a smart card using the smart card connector; said smart card reader being further adapted to support one or more reader commands to instruct the reader to present data to a user for review and approval by the user; and to present to the user the data for review and approval using the output interface; and to capture the user's approval or rejection of the data for review and approval using the input interface; characterized in that said smart card reader further comprises a second memory component having a log file stored therein; in that said smart card reader is further adapted to operate in a secure logging mode in which the smart card reader logs in said log file security related events relative to the reader or the reader's usage; in that said smart card reader is further adapted to log in said log file the data for review and approval; and in that said smart card reader is further adapted to generate a reader signature on said log file using at least one of the one or more cryptographic keys stored in said first memory. a communication interface for communicating with a host computer; a smart card connector for communicating with the smart card; a first memory component for securely storing one or more cryptographic keys; a user interface comprising a user output interface for presenting information to the user and a user input interface for receiving user indications; a data processing component for communicating with the host computer, communicating with the smart card and driving the user interface; said smart card reader being adapted to exchange smart card commands with a smart card using the smart card connector; said smart card reader being further adapted to support one or more reader commands to instruct the reader to present data to a user for review and approval by the user; and to present to the user the data for review and approval using the output interface; and to capture the user's approval or rejection of the data for review and approval using the input interface; characterized in that said smart card reader further comprises a second memory component having a log file stored therein; in that said smart card reader is further adapted to operate in a secure logging mode in which the smart card reader logs in said log file security related events relative to the reader or the reader's usage; in that said smart card reader is further adapted to log in said log file the data for review and approval; and in that said smart card reader is further adapted to generate a reader signature on said log file using at least one of the one or more cryptographic keys stored in said first memory.