D3.2: A study on PKI and biometrics

Title: BASIC DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

To avoid different regulations within member states, the EU approved Directive 1999/93/EC on the 13.12.1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures. In this directive the following terms are defined:

• Electronic signature 

  • Means data in electronic form which are attached to or logically associated with other electronic data and which serve as a method of authentication 

• Advanced electronic signature 

  • Means an electronic signature which meets the following requirements: 

    • It is uniquely linked to the signatory 

    • It is capable of identifying the signatory 

    • It is created using means that the signatory can maintain under his sole control 

    • It is linked to the data to which it relates in such a manner that any subsequent change of the data is detectable. 

• Signatory 

  • Means a person who holds a signature-creation device and acts either on his own behalf or on behalf of the natural or legal person or entity he represents 

• Signature-creation data 

  • Means unique data, such as codes or private cryptographic keys, which are used by the signatory to create an electronic signature 

• Signature-creation device 

  • Means configured software or hardware used to implement the signature-creation data 

• Secure-signature-creation device 

  • Means a signature-creation device which meets the requirements laid down in Annex III of the European Directive about electronic signatures 

• Signature-verification-data 

  • Means data, such as codes or public cryptographic keys which are used for the purpose of verifying an electronic signature 

• Signature-verification device 

  • Means configured software or hardware used to implement the signature-verification-data 

• Certificate 

  • Means an electronic attestation which links signature-verification data to a person and confirms the identity of that person 

• Qualified certificate 

  • Means a certificate which meets the requirements laid down in Annex I of the European Directive about electronic signatures and is provided by a  certification service provider who fulfils the requirements laid down in Annex II

•  Certification service provider

  • Means an entity or a legal or natural person who issues certificates or provides other services related to electronic signatures 

• Electronic-signature product 

  • Means hardware or software or relevant components thereof, which are intended to be used by a  certification service provider for the provision of electronic-signature services or are intended to be used for the creation or verification of electronic signatures

• Voluntary accreditation 

  • Means any permission, setting out rights and obligations specific to the provision of certification services, to be granted upon request by the certification service provider concerned, by the public or private body charged with the elaboration of, and supervision of compliance with, such rights and obligations, where the certification service provider is not entitled to exercise the rights stemming from the permission until it has received the decision by the body.