The COVID-19 pandemic put many industries to the test as they found alternate ways to serve their customers and manage to survive the crisis. The banking and finance sector may have already been ahead of the curve with digitalisation. Many banks and financial institutions were already or beginning to provide customers with the ability to digitally sign loan documents and other important financial documents. But with stay-at-home orders, the necessity for full digital customer-client relationships have gained prominence in this sector. Institutions that had not yet embraced digitalisation stood at a crossroads where accepting digitalisation was now a necessity for business continuity.

What You See is What Your Sign (WYSIWYS) is a term that is used to describe an enhanced level of data integrity within a digital signature system. Its purpose is to ensure that the content of a signed message cannot be altered, whether intentionally or accidentally (non-repudiation).

eIDAS provides the technical and legal framework needed for electronic identification and digital signatures to allow the banking industry to digitize its processes fully. This article introduces the technology needed for remote signing at the level of a qualified electronic signature (QES).

Cryptomathic’s Signer is the only qualified (electronic) signature creation device (QSCD) that is certified under the SO-GIS agreement using the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA). Its security target is written to strictly conform to the certified protection profile EN 419 241-2.

In this article, we will discuss the Certificate Authority (CA) in the context of eIDAS and what is required of this entity in ensuring the integrity of qualified electronic signatures.

The eIDAS regulation provides both the technical and legal framework for electronic identification and digital signatures that the banking sector needs to fully digitalize its processes and go paperless.

This article looks at 3 alternative deployment options for remote signing, catering for 3 different business models. The choice of the option will depend on the financial institution’s specific situation and strategic goals. This article gives guidance.

The last few months have been exciting for all stakeholders involved in the implementation and use of the eIDAS toolbox. Some important milestones have been reached and new initiatives are taking off. However, to really increase the uptake of eIDAS enabled services, a three-pronged approach is needed to really bolster the main growth drivers. This approach is based on the feedback received from the various respondents in a recent ENISA survey and its accompanying report.