OCC, an agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), has the authority to issue digital certificates which contains a public key and identity of the owner.
Digital signature is an electronic signature produced by Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). It consists of a pair of keys -- private and public. Private key is known to the user only and it helps to encrypt the message which helps to maintain privacy and security of messages or transactions. Similarly, public key which is known to other party, particularly the receiver, is used to decrypt the message.
Speaking at the function Prime Minister Bhattarai expressed hope that the use of digital signature would help check increasing cyber crimes. "Although online transactions are getting popular, the question of security was always there," said Bhattarai, adding that the concept would also play an important role for implementation of e-governance.
Controller Pant said introduction of digital signature would also help all online activities including e-bidding, e-procurement, among others. "At a time when the threat to information security has been increasing, introduction of digital signature would certainly go a long way in minimizing security risks," he added.
Minister of Science and Technology Kalpana Dhamala stressed on proper the implementation of Electronic Transaction Act 2008. "Now online services will be safe and this will help ensure good governance and ease public life."
The major benefits of digital signature includes identification and authentication -- the identity of the user is known and can be proven to a third party, Data Integrity -- the signature is linked to the data being signed so that if the data is changed, the signature is invalidated.
Pant said repudiation was a bigger worry for those operating online businesses but after implementation of digital signature, service like online-banking, e-shopping and others are likely to gain momentum.
In the first phase, OCC will provide license to interested firms. The cost of digital signature will vary on the basis of requirement of services and can be obtained in the form of USB token, smart card or PIN protected soft token.
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Quelle/Source: Republica, 09.02.2012
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