LAWtrust gets international signing nod

LAWtrust solutions director, Maeson Maherry, describes the digital signature as the fundamental risk management mechanism for businesses to enforce accountability.

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Cryptographic security provider LAWtrust has become the first provider in Africa to receive both WebTrust and Adobe certification.

LAWtrust received its certification from global authority WebTrust in February, while it was added to the Adobe Approved Trust list in December, recognising it as an international certification authority.

"The WebTrust Program for Certification Authorities is a framework for WebTrust practitioners, such as the major audit firms, to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the controls employed by certification authorities," says LAWtrust solutions director, Maeson Maherry.

The company's inclusion on the Adobe Approved Trust List, allows it create digital signatures that are trusted whenever the signed document is opened.

Maherry describes the digital signature as the fundamental risk management mechanism for businesses to enforce accountability. "Signatures are a fundamental aspect of doing business - you can't do business without them. Just because signatures are now electronic is no different, you need to be able to rely on them," he adds.

Choosing to apply for Adobe certification instead of another certificate authority like VeriSign, is based on the South African legal context, says Maherry. "LAWtrust can't be reliant on another country which can potentially revoke South African digital signature certificates. VeriSign is a certificate authority that also undergoes the same WebTrust audit, but is not subject to South African law for its transactions and operations."

With the certification, Maherry says LAWtrust will seek to build on offering managed digital certificate (PKI) services to the public and private sector. "And now we also offer digital signature and time stamping services under a globally trusted public root certificate as a business solution."

Maherry emphasises the importance of having the public trust anchor that is embedded in the free Adobe Reader. "Without it, a user opening a PDF document will have no indication that the document is authentic or not, or be faced with an even worse question to trust a potential fraudulent unknown digital certificate with the forged name of the company or person from which they think the communication is displayed."

In contrast to this, he says LAWtrust will provide a clear and tangible indicator of trust before proceeding to open a document. "A document that has been digitally signed with a LAWtrust digital certificate signature will be clearly marked with a green tick and a message saying that the document has been signed and all signatures are valid."

Maherry believes South Africa is part of the global IT community and as such, shares all the opportunities and risks equally with the rest of the world. "There is, however, a global requirement for trust in all transactions and it is becoming more difficult for the end-user to tell friend from foe."

He says it can be difficult to confirm identity in something as harmless as Internet dating. "Then imagine the problems in transacting with these individuals based on the current online identities. It is therefore essential that we follow the visual and tangible indicators of trust that are built into the tools we use to communicate, such as browsers and e-mail clients."

Maherry says the goal is for a normal user to be able to tell an authentic document and signature from a forged one without having to download additional software plug-ins, proprietary software or make complex security decisions. "That is the only way that trust can be achieved on a large scale."

Maherry, along with Heinz Kuhn, senior manager: legal services, Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, will provide a case study on the benefits of advanced electronic signatures, at ITWeb Security Summit 2013, at the Sandton Convention Centre, from 7 to 9 May.

Cyber law attorney Doug Depeppe will provide a cyber law update, while professor Basie von Solms, research professor at the Academy for Computer Science and Software Engineering: University of Johannesburg, will give an overview of the legal and regulatory landscape. To book your place at the event, click here.