Digital Signature, What does it mean, and why do you need a digital signature
A digital signature is a method that allows you to add an “encryption” component to documents that will allow proof of “authenticity”, and accurate identification of the “signature” operation.
Encryption uses mathematical processes that are difficult if at all to crack the “private signature code” of the signer.
So after the document have been signed:
The person who signed the document can be sure that the document will not be altered by a third party
And the recipient can be sure that the document in front of him, digitally signed, was signed by the person who claimed to have signed it and that the document has not changed since it was signed.
The Digital Signature Law It was enacted in the Parliament of Israel in 2001 and since then there have been a number of changes following technological changes and corrections according to what exists in the signature market.
The law defines and demarcates the event the various types of electronic signatures that the public must equip when submitting signed documents because by law they must be submitted to state institutions electronically signed.
The law establishes rules that clarify the types of signatures that can be issued, the identity of the parties who will be able to issue the various means of signing and how to obtain a license to issue such electronic means of signing.
By virtue of this law were defined Regulations And they change from time to time.
For example: Income tax regulations Regarding the elimination of documents.
The Parliament of Israel continues to discuss adjustments Legislation and regulations in this area An example of this is a change recognized in 2018 by the Science and Technology Committee.
Types of signatures - (from the "Digital Signature Law").
"Secure electronic certificate":
An electronic certificate that contains all of the following:
- It is unique to the owner of the means of signature
- ("means of signature" - unique software, object or information, necessary for the production of a secure electronic certificate);
- It enables the alleged identification of the holder of the means of signature
- ("holder of the means of signature" - the person to whom a means of signature was produced);
- It was produced by a means of signature which is under the sole control of the holder of the means of signature;
- It allows to detect a change in the electronic message after the signing date;
- It is unique to the owner of the means of signature
- ("means of signature" - unique software, object or information, necessary for the production of a secure electronic certificate);
- It enables the alleged identification of the holder of the means of signature
- ("holder of the means of signature" - the person to whom a means of signature was produced);
- It was produced by a means of signature which is under the sole control of the holder of the means of signature;
- It allows to detect a change in the electronic message after the signing date;
"Certified and Certified Electronic Signature"
- Is a secure electronic signature - which the certifying authority has issued a "certified" electronic
- certificate regarding the means of verifying the signature that identifies it
- ("Certification Authority" - a factor that issues electronic certificates are approved and registered in accordance with the provisions of this Act);
The law defines when and in what situations the Person must sign the documents with a digital signature (secure or approved) when he comes to transfer, electronically documents to the various government offices, including the court, so that the documents will be “recognized” as original, correct and signed with certainty By the person who signed them and declared that they signed them.
For example:
Secure digital signature.
Can be used by any organization to send a tax invoice to the customer as long as it is provided by entities that may issue a secure digital signature including
Companies that sell such signatures online and that comply with the law.
Please note that the provisions of the law may change from time to time and a lawyer specializing in the field should be consulted. Before signing
Certified digital signature.
In order to eliminate documents recognized by the income tax as such that present a recognized expense and which are recorded in the company registers as such, it is necessary to maintain
A number of conditions, including: Scanning the documents and immedatlly digitally sign it, Add “Original Document” and “Digital Signature” Stamps to Document
(Regulations change from time to time and a law must be followed in the digital signature and regulations established for it and which have entered into force in the laws of the Knesset of Israel).
The document will be signed by the scanning system using a certified digital signature.
The signature will be through the means of signature issued for the scanning operation by one of the companies that issue approved means of signature in Israel (Comsign, PersolanID).
The document will be filed in the “Document Management” system (for example: the DOC-IL Document Management System from Hanibaal Information Systems Ltd.) so that it will be possible
Locate the document by: invoice number, vendor and invoice date.
Another person in the organization will be able to view the scanned document and compare the scanned document to the original document and confirm with a second signature that the scanned document
Compatible with the original in its entirety.
The second party will perform an approved digital “signature” issued to him through one of the companies authorized by law to issue an approved digital signature.
(Theoretically, the crawler can sign with the Comsign signing device and the certifying agent with the PersonalID signing device or any other combination).
If the document is accompanied by two digital signatures of authorized persons in the organization, it will be possible to burn the document after submitting the annual income tax return
After receiving approval in principle to receive the report (not for approval).
Actual signing – usually the person who has been issued the means of digitally sign (card or token or any other approved electronic means) that receives it on behalf of the company
In principle, the person who has been issued a means of digitally sign, can sign using any software that uses cryptological means and which is prevented by
Third party to abuse the private key.
For example: Anyone who has been issued a card can open a PDF file using Adobe software and Sign the file using this software and even produce
Encrypted “digital signature” file, for future use.
Do you have a question about system features? Interested in receiving further explanations?
Contact us and we will be happy to assist you
Hanibaal Team – Document Management System
