With https://bugs.openjdk.java.net/browse/JDK-7047033 a long standing bug was fixed.
That fix inverted the logic of the argument of Card.disconnect(boolean reset) function.

As this is a change in behavior, an option is introduced, which can be used to revert to the old broken behavior.
 
The option sun.security.smartcardio.invertCardReset will be used to manipulate the way the disconnect method treats its argument.
 
This option will only be recognized by JDK 7uX and 8uX.
 
If the option is set to true, it will invert the logic/treatment of the "reset" argument of Card.disconnect(boolean) call.
 
With the proposed default value for this option, essentially JDK 7uX will maintain the same broken behavior (unless users explicitly override the option to "false"). As for JDK 8uX, the default behavior will be correct and users can set this option to true to revert back to the broken behavior if necessary.