Secret message

Citation

(1999), "Secret message", Work Study, Vol. 48 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.1999.07948fad.002

Secret message

Secret message

The Siemens Group Information and Communication Networks, Munich, and iD2 Technologies, Stockholm, are offering an innovative solution for efficient creation and administration of digital keys. These keys are vital for secure data transactions in Internet applications such as e-commerce or e-mail. The two companies have come to an understanding, as part of a co-operation agreement, to integrate iD2's PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) technology into DirX, Siemens' solution for corporate directories (Meta Directory). The combined use of the iD2 solution and DirX automates the management of digital keys and guarantees confidentiality and security in both internal and external communication. This means that it is no longer necessary to keep public keys for communication partners on each local PC. Instead all the information needed is stored centrally on the Directory Server, with due regard to the legal requirements of the particular country concerned. For users Certification Authorities (CA) create electronic certificates consisting of information about the identity of the person concerned, public and private keys and the period of validity for the information. In such cases the X.509 Standard regulates the content and structure of the certificates, which can be seen as an electronic appendage to a personal ID card. They guarantee both the authenticity of the sender and the absolute confidentiality, binding nature and integrity of electronic information. The Certification Authority here represents a trustworthy and independent body for issuing the certificates, just like a passport-issuing authority. Its functions include guaranteeing the quality of the cryptographic procedures used and the authentication of the assignment of keys to users. For storage and administration - creation, distribution, revocation, deletion - of the certificates and the revocation lists with blocked certificates, a reliable and scalable infrastructure, a public-key infrastructure, is needed, such as the one provided by iD2 Certificate Manager and the Siemens Meta Directory DirX. In addition to other directory data, the Meta Directory allows certificates and revocation lists to be administered. The required information is retrieved by applications such as electronic commerce or e-mail from the Meta Directory and transferred using the LDAP standard (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) to clients where it is available to the applications. When e-mail is sent, for example, this makes it possible to ensure that only the desired recipient can read the contents of the message (privacy). The recipient has proof by an applied digital signature that the sender of the message really is the person he/she claims to be (authentication) and thus cannot deny having written the message (non repudiation). Proof is also recorded that the message was not altered during transmission (Integrity). More information on iD2 Technologies can be found at http://www.iD2tech.com