Reducing risks of electronic communication

The need for secure electronic documents

Gone are the days of the paper based communications and transmission of documents through electronic means is fast expanding now. In such an environment of digital communication, verifying the integrity and security of the communicated information is of paramount importance.

Advanced information technology brings many advantages to all sectors of the economy including the financial sector. It also carries its own by-products such as risks of theft and information tampering. Therefore, as the use of electronic payments increases, IT security infrastructure becomes critical in order to prevent the risks associated with information security, unauthorised access and electronic fraud.

Digital certificates are used as a security measure to protect electronically communicated documents. This technology is internationally used especially for confidential documents. It serves the purpose of verifying the authenticity of the sender, guaranteeing the privacy of the document and also ensuring that the document is not modified during the communication process.

What is LankaSign?

The use of internet and electronic transactions is increasing very rapidly in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the role of IT security infrastructure becomes critical. Recognising this need, Central Bank of Sri Lanka invited LankaClear to initiate action to become the financial sector’s Certification Service Provider (CSP) termed as ‘LankaSign’.

LankaSign is a (Digital) Certificate Service Provider administered by LankaClear. The initiative was launched by LankaClear on 22 May 2009 in accordance with the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006.

LankaSign now provides Certificates for financial sector to authenticate their electronic documents under the guidance of Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and with the technical assistance of TechCERT.

Lanka Government Net is a similar service provider available in Sri Lanka. It provides certificates for the Government sector. It is administered by ICTA. There are a number of similar foreign commercial certificate providers who also provide certificates such as VeriSign, Inc. (Symantec), Comodo CA Ltd., A-Trust, Geo Trust Inc., etc which provide services to secure electronic communication at a global level.

LankaSign expands

its services

As the first phase of action, LankaClear has begun providing digital certificates to ‘Participant Banks’ that are connected to LankaClear for security enhanced clearing applications through LankaClear VPN Network, for its clearing products.

In the second phase of LankaSign the following new products were introduced to the market in February 2011.

nE-mail/document signing certificates

nSSL server certificates

By now LankaClear has further extended its services by providing digital certificates not only for financial institutes, but also for other enterprises, organisations and anyone who is interested in the security of their electronically communicated documents.

What LankaClear plans to offer

Today, LankaClear has upgraded the LankaSign Certificate Service Provider (CSP) system in order to support potential customers who would be interested in strengthening their electronic communications’ security.

nNow LankaClear can issue more certificates upon its customer demand at a cheaper cost.

nUnder the new Registration Authority (RA) model recently introduced by LankaSign (CSP), it can allow a bank to issue digital certificates to its banking customers as well as their staff to strengthen security.

nFurther, LankaSign has now streamlined its operations online and therefore, the digital certificate request, and download process can be done by a customer through a bank acting under the RA model. This allows the general public of Sri Lanka to use digital certificates issued by LankaClear for general usage as well. LankaClear is willing to appoint prospective banks to act as RA agents for this purpose.

With the new initiative LankaSign customers are able to ensure the security, authenticity and integrity of the electronic information communicated internally within their institutes and externally as well. LankaClear is more than happy to introduce technologies to organisations that are interested for its use and assist them understand the usage of digital certificates through demonstration sessions. Further, enterprises and business organisations can directly obtain digital certificates through LankaClear.

The LankaClear Help Desk is prepared to answer any clarifications about this service.

The usage of digital certificates

A person who writes a letter places his signature on his document. Similarly the documents exchanged through electronic media can also be signed electronically by using the digital signing facility available in the document preparation software program. This digital signing technology could also be integrated into communication forms of an internet banking, import/export documents, e-commerce retail or high value payments, etc. Further, if both the sender and receiver own digital certificates the sender can encrypt his information, in addition to signing the information which allows only the receiver to use it.

No matter what kind of commercial business or related communications you are engaged with, you can use this digital certificate concept by LankaClear as a solution to secure the risky electronic communications that you currently perform and to protect the most important data.

LankaClear invites Sri Lankans to use digital certificates and establish the security of their documents exchanged through electronic means. Digital certificates issued by LankaClear are less expensive compared to the certificates issued by its foreign counterparts. Those who are using the services of foreign certificate providers can save valuable foreign exchange if they start using LankaClear digital certificates for their local digital security needs.