Citizen card environment
In addition to the computer and a card reader you need to download and install a citizen card software called the . This software is available free for download for all of the most commonly used operating systems. If the citizen card function has been activated on your eCard using the web service from A-Trust, it can be used as a citizen card immediately afterwards. And the best thing about using the eCard as the citizen card is that the activation and its use is free of charge.
Since the citizen card environment is built upon open standards, it allows all signature cards that fulfil citizen card specifications and legal requirements to be used as a citizen card. The same thing applies for foreign "citizen cards". This refers to any foreign electronic identification cards that are built on the basis of electronic signatures, for example, the Belgian electronic identity card.
For the implementation of the citizen card concept, a so-called security layer was specified. The security layer is the interface between an application and the signature card. It offers access to the token's functions for the purposes of identification, signature and encryption. The security layer is embedded in the citizen card environment software as middleware and fulfils the following requirements:
- Hardware and technology-independent:
The application only has access to the logical view of the functionality and does not see how the token is implemented. Therefore, the type of token which carries out the signature function, whether on a smartcard, USB stick or Web service, should be irrelevant to the application.
- Independent of cryptographic algorithms:
Over time, scientific and technological advances lessen the security of cryptographic operations. Therefore, these algorithms must be able to be replaced without impacting the application.
The next step to increase usabilty is the online citizen card environment. Thereby another unwanted step for eGovernment users is history.
In contrast to the card-based citizen card, installing software and additional hardware (card reader) is no longer necessary. The mobile phone signature functions similar to the solution banks use for e-banking. After successfully logging in with the access code (mobile phone number) and PIN, a TAN is sent via SMS to the activated mobile phone.
For more information on mobile phone signature, please visit our mobile phone signature website.