Establishing a Digital Identity Martin Roe - Director of Technology, Royal Mail ViaCode
What’s in a name?
Work Health Club Family Member Who am I? Citizen
Work Health Club Family Member One Signature! Who am I? Citizen
The Signature is mine Because I signed it! Note that the Signature is: Perpetual (All my life) Not affected by value of the transaction This is clearly open to Fraud: Risk can be reduced by using Notaries Checks are increased if value rises Signing a Contract
Digital ID’s
Digital signatures are ‘One Off’ Associated with a single transaction Signatures are validated against Keys Keys need to be under tight control Private secure/Public readily available Issuer must maintain history/audit Oddly, less open to fraud Processes are tighter Digital Signatures
Both Specific or General Use Other uses achievable Restricted by liability Restricted by law (currently) PKI Technology Mature Extending Storage Medium PC, Smart Cards, WAP Devices Has a full revocation method Needs a Trusted Issuing Party Digital Signatures
Examples Travel Agents Insurance Brokers Insurance Assessors Auditors Trusted Third Parties
OK; I’ve got a Digital Signature. The world knows who I am; ViaCode have validated me! Now, what can I use it for? Signing Documents Digitally
Legal Defintions (CITU/PIU)
ViaCode: Citizen Authentication
ViaCode: Business Authentication
PKI provides: Content Confidentiality through Encryption Content Integrity Authentication of both Parties ViaCode: Document Exchange
PKI does NOT provide: Non Repudiation; inability to deny an event Backed by a Trusted Organisation Backed by Insurance/Liability protection Backed by Audit/Forensic Evidence ViaCode: Document Exchange
Send /Document to Royal Mail in an Encrypted Session Receipt Acknowledgement ViaCode: Document Exchange
Royal Mail re- transmits the Document but without ‘Keys’ Opening Requests ‘Keys’ ? ‘Keys’ are Returned ViaCode: Document Exchange
The Originator is informed that the transaction is complete OR ViaCode: Document Exchange
The Originator is informed that the transaction is INCOMPLETE X ViaCode: Document Exchange
State of the Art
Within the Post Office.. Secure track and trace facility for selected customers Veronica - International Services can have secure communications with their Dutch division ViaCode: State of the Art
Major Reseller partnership 300,000 potential certificate holders Secure communications between European network Export documentation process reduced from 3 days to 3 hours with ViaCode ViaCode: State of the Art
New Second Generation Portal Launch Portal web site with trust a key feature of differentiation Planning for over 2 million subscribers ViaCode certificates will secure all transactions and communications launching summer 2000 Corporate Solution involving Royal Mail, POCL & Parcelforce ViaCode: State of the Art
Operating as a reseller of ViaCode in the Channel Islands Targeting lucrative banking, legal and finance sectors Applications such as on line contract signing money transfer requests and insurance quotes ViaCode: State the Art
Government The e-commerce minister Patricia Hewitt MP used a ViaCode certificate in the first ever digital signing of an agreement between two European Governments(Mar 2000) Legal Sector 8 contracts secured in March 2000 alone ViaCode: State the Art
Establishing a Digital Identity Martin Roe - Director of Technology, Royal Mail ViaCode