STARCOS® Signature Card: smart card, secure signature
The need for security and trust in digital transactions is more important than ever before. Digital signatures are cryptographic implementations of electronic signatures and play an important role to increase security by proving data integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation of communication in the internet. A valid digital signature gives a recipient very strong reason to believe that the message was created by a known sender and that the message was not manipulated.
Digital signature technology can be deployed and delivered in multiple ways to meet the requirements of any size organization or department, especially in the areas of eGovernment, attorneys, notaries public, tax advisors and more. Digital signatures create a virtual fingerprint that is unique to a person or entity and are used to identify users and protect information in digital messages or documents. They increase the transparency of online interactions and develop trust between all participating partners.
Benefits
Customer convenience and security is key
- G+D‘s STARCOS® Signature Card is prepared for all typical uses cases within a Qualified Electronic Signature Creation Device (QSCD)
- Support of the latest cryptographic algorithms for signature and seal key pairs (RSA 4096 bit and NIST Curve P-384)
- File system according to ISO-7816
STARCOS® Signature Card
We provide technology to enable secure electronic transactions
G+D’s STARCOS® Signature Card is a new generation of smart cards and is certified as a qualified signature creation device (QSCD) and a qualified seal creation device in accordance with EU Regulation 910/2014 eIDAS. It enables secure PIN management and convenient administration. Certificates with a term up to 5 years can be saved. A broad range of customization opportunities is available. All our certified products and services meeting the highest security requirements are listed on the EU Trust Services Dashboard.
STARCOS® Signature Cards
Learn more about secure digital signatures for your key documentation
eIDAS – European framework for digital identity and trust
In the European Market, eIDAS (electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) is an EU regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions. It was created to establish trust in electronic transactions between individuals, organizations and government entities. It contains rules for electronic identification and trust services to simplify and standardize digital IDs and signatures across Europe. G+D’s STARCOS® Signature Card is certified and qualified in accordance with these regulations.
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Key Points about eIDAS 2.0:
Goals – The revised eIDAS 2.0 regulation from April 2024 focuses on:
- Expanding the use of digital identity data
- Enhancing security and interoperability within the EU
- Strengthening the EU’s competitiveness and digital sovereignty
- By 2030, 80% of EU citizens should be able to use an eID solution
Central Project: EUDI Wallet
The introduction of Europe-wide recognized European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallet), is a significant step towards digitalization. By 2026, all EU citizens should have access to a free digital identity wallet. These wallets allow online authentication for private and administrative services. Furthermore, additional digital proofs (e.g., driving licenses, training certificates) can also be securely stored and shared.
What are the different security levels for an electronic signature?
The eIDAS regulation defines three different security levels for electronic signatures: simple, advanced and qualified. A qualified electronic signature (such as with G+D's STARCOS® Signature Card) fulfills the highest security level. Only a QES is recognized as having the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.
The following provides an overview and uses examples to explain when which security level is required.
What are challenges and pain points?
Certification Authorities need to enable secure electronic transactions, that are compliant and legally secure.
- Using an eIDAS-certified product for the generation of qualified electronic signatures and qualified electronic seals
- Generation of RSA and elliptic curve keys (ECC)
- Support of multiple keys (RSA and ECC) in parallel
- PIN management with transport-PIN and unblocking code (PUK)
- Establishment of secure communication channel authentication protocols
- Possibility to add customer specific data structures
The eIDAS 2.0 framework aims to create a seamless and secure digital identity experience for all EU citizens, fostering trust and efficiency in our interconnected world.
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