Electronic signature

Electronic signature
Extended electronic signature
Qualified digital certificate
Benefits of qualified digital certificates
Documents required to obtain qualified digital certificates
Registration and installation of qualified digital certificates
General DigiSign Services Terms and Conditions

Electronic signature

Speaking of the meaning, the digital signature is the digital form of holographic signatures, as the reflection of the latter in the virtual space. Digital signatures cover the same functions and applications as the holographic signatures and what is more, its usage recommends it from the point of view of security and integrity. Moreover, if in the case of holographic signatures there are doubts as to the subscriber’s identity, such doubts are practically eliminated in the case of electronic signatures, non-repudiation being thus 100% guaranteed.

“Electronic signature” is regarded as the broadest term allowing the authentication of electronic documents. The term “electronic signature” is generically used to confer neutrality and so as not to limit the provisions to the current encryption technology. The electronic signature is practically the equivalent of the authentication process of an electronic document through a qualified digital certificate.

Extended electronic signature

The benefits of the extended electronic signature result from being equal, from a legal point of view, to a holographic signature. Such a signature is difficult to challenge in court, ensuring the subscriber’s sole authentication and the integrity of the signed documents.

The scope of the extended signature includes:

- Submission of on-line statements to ANAF;

- Invoice signing (According to the fiscal code);

- Signing the documents sent by O.N.R.C. for companies settlement (according to the new regulations in force regarding registration with the Trade Registry);

- Reports to CNVM - compulsory for all entities regulated and monitored by CNVM;

- Reports to the health organizations (CNAS, CASMB, OPSNAJ, CASMT);

- Messages signing by other state authorities (SEAP, CSA-CEDAM, BVB, A.N.R.M.A.P.);

- Signing and/or encrypting the messages sent by e-mail to the partners;

- Code signing;

- Authentication in private IT systems or on the company’s domain etc.

Qualified digital certificates

The digital certificate itself includes a range of attributes and information related to the person it identifies.
The qualified certificate or the qualified electronic signature certificate is the certificate issued according to the regulations under the EU Directive 99/93 and under the law 455/2001 on electronic signatures. The main difference between a plain certificate and a qualified one is that the private key associated to a qualified certificate can by no means be exported. Moreover, the Certification Authority is the one undertaking liability for the correspondence between the digital certificate and the person it belongs to. From this point of view, law 455/2001 stipulates that electronic signature certificates issued in Romania must have a private key generated and stored on a secured device (D.S.C.S.), compliant with the FIPS 140-1 Level 2 or ITSEC E4 security norms. This device can take the form of a smartcard or e-token.

Qualified digital certificates are issued by the DigiSign Certification Authority, officially registered as a Certification Services Supplier in accordance with Law no. 455/2001, the EU Directive 93/99 and the provisions under the Government Decision no. 1259/13 December 2001 on the approval of Technical and Methodology Norms for the application of digital signatures.

Benefits of qualified digital certificates:

- Allows the signing, authentication and legal acknowledgement of electronically sent documents and automatically controls access to extranet, intranet and e-mail;
- Protects data, ensures transactions security and protects e-mail through encryption, electronic signatures, message integrity proof;
- Include network domain authentication extensions;
- The validity term of a qualified certificate issued by DigiSign Certification Authority is of one year, with the renewal possibility.

Documents required to obtain qualified digital certificates

- ID card copy, and in the case of foreign citizens, passport copy;
- If the digital certificate is to be used to represent the interests of a company a document issued by the employer company confirming the applicant’s employee capacity, as well as the position he/she holds is required;
- If the Beneficiary cannot authenticate to obtain a qualified certificate, a notarized statement is required.

Registration and installation of the qualified digital certificate

The steps required to obtain the digital certificate are:

- To register your qualified digital certificate application, please access the CONTACT page and enter your data, as well as the application in the registration form;
- The sent data shall be checked and you will receive a message from an administrator with all required data;
- To download and install the certificate, follow the directions in the administrator's message. DigiSign Services