E-Signature

Digital Signature/seal is a piece of data attached to an electronic document or other data, which ensures data origin, integrity and It enables to verify the issuer of a document over long periods of time.

Digital signing and sealing using to replace wet ink signatures and create non-repudiable, legally binding e-documents. Digital signing allows agencies and organizations to streamline signature and approval processes and eliminate paper.

A digital signature can also be configured to incorporate an official digital seal to replace the traditional stamped or embossed seal that requires a wet ink signature.

Digital signatures can also be used to sign email communications, reassuring the recipient that the sender is actually you. Digital signing of documents and email is the best way to ensure that the digital media remains intact, protecting the overall integrity of the document or email.

What is Mobile Digital Signature?

Mobile signature is a digital signature generated either on a mobile phone by using Crypto SD card which provide storing key pair and digital certificate.

In addition, mobile signature is a unique feature for:

Making a legally-binding commitment by sending a signed message to another party.
Solve security problems of the online world with identity confirmation.

What is Remote Signing?

Remote signing is a type of certificate-based digital signature that uses standard protocols to generate an e-signature using digital identity certificates that are provided as a service in the cloud from an accredited trust service provider (TSP). Compared to traditional certificate methods that are based on smart cards or tokens, a cloud signature allows significantly more flexibility as they can be used easily across desktop, web, and mobile.

Electronic Signatuer

Q1: What is the Digital Signature Law?

The Digital Signature Law is referred to as the Digital Signature Law no. 15 of the year 2004. It was issued to regulate the digital signature (e-signature) and establish the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA). On May 15, 2005, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) passed the Decree no. 109 of the year 2005 issuing the Executive Regulations of the Digital Signature Law.
Regulations have been amended to keep pace with the technological development in the field of Digital signature by the Decree no. 361 of the year 2020. The “New Executive Regulations” took effect and became a replacement of those in Decree no. 109.
Take a look at the text of thelaw and executive regulations .

Q2: How can you reap the benefits of the Digital Signature Law?

The Digital Signature Law is the first Egyptian legislation to regulate Digital transactions, whether governmental, commercial, or administrative. By virtue of this legislation, “ Digital (digital) means” can be used in editing, exchanging, and preserving documents in a manner that (1) keeps the rights of customers and (2) ensures the credibility and legality of Digital transactions at the same time.

Consequently Digital transactions made using digital signature have the same legal effect in proving to handwrite and for the ordinary signature provided in the Law of Proof in civil and commercial Articles.

Q3: What is Digital Certification?

Digital Certification is a certificate issued by a licensed company to provide the Information Technology Industry Development Agency's service of (1) proving the digital signature owner's identity and (2) ensuring his\her eligibility to sign. Undauntedly a digital signature has the same legal validity as a typical signature.

The digital signature certificate includes this information: the certificate serial number, the signer's name and description, the public code key, and certificate expiration date.

Q4: What is the form of a Digital Signature?

It is a certificate that is placed on a smart card or smart token, that is similar to a flash memory. When you receive this certificate, you get a password to use when signing the process.
You can use this token on computers by setting up the Software, you obtained from the licensed company (CSP) when issuing the certificate, and customer service will help you if you encounter any problem.

Q5: A brief overview of the companies licensed by the Agency?

Q6: What is the expected price for issuing a digital signature and digital sealing?

The price of issuing a digital signature certificate ranges from EGP 700 to 1000, and for a digital sealing certificate, price ranges between EGP 2000 to 3000. The price changes from one company to another.

Q7: Can customers abroad get the service?

Customers abroad can obtain a digital signature certificate from one of the licensed companies (CSPs) by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency, which we have previously explained. Customers can use the certificate inside or outside Egypt. However, to obtain a digital signature certificate and use the service, the applicant must go personally to one of the licensed companies to receive the service by showing his personal identity.

Q8: What is the legality of a digital signature certificate issued by a non-licensed company such as DocuSign or others?

There is no company licensed by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency that can practice digital signature activity inside Egypt other than the previously mentioned companies (CSPs). Any certificate issued by another party has no legal validity according to the Digital Signature Law no. 15 of the year 2004.

Q9: What are the steps of issuing a digital signature certificate?

Go to a licensed company, Certificate Service Provider (CSP) and fill out the application form of issuing a digital signature certificate.
Submit all the required papers and documents according to the certification type.
Sign the contract.
Pay the fees.
Receive the token, which contains the certificate and password.
Now, you can use the token and sign documents.

Q10 How long is the certificate valid?

The certificate can be issued with a validity of one or three years, depending on the customer's needs.

Q11: What happens if the smart token got lost?

In this case, the customer should contact the licensed company (CSP) to cancel and stop the certificate, and cases of certificate canceling are:

- Smart token was lost or stolen.
- Damage to the card or smart token.
- Lost PIN.
- A change in customer data.

Q12: How can the certificate be canceled?

- Contact the company's customer service.
- Follow the steps requested by the company employee to confirm you are the owner of the certificate to be canceled.
- The cancellation process takes place.

Q13: Can the certificate be restored after it has been canceled?

Canceled certificates cannot be restored. You can issue another one.

Q14: What are the areas of use of digital signature certificates?

All forms of Digital transactions that require obtaining signatures and digital signatures can save time and effort, such as bank transactions, money market fields, and others.

Q15: What is the governmental certification authority (Gov-CA)?

It is an authority that has been granted a license by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to issue digital signature certificates for government employees to be used in transactions between them. Private sector clients are not permitted to obtain credentials from (GOV-CA).

Q16: What is digital sealing?

Digital sealing is a digital signature that allows identifying the legal person who created the seal and distinguished it from others. Both organizations and companies can issue their own Digital Sealing.

Q17: Is it possible that a company’s system use a digital signature?

Our Digital Signature Competency Center (DSCC) can help you adopt and integrate the digital signature into any company's applications according to the fees and contracts agreed upon.

Q18: The difference between a digital signature and a digital sealing?

The digital signature is only for ordinary people, and there was an urgent need for companies and organizations to obtain their digital signature; and this point was therefore rectified in the amendment of the regulations that occurred in 2020. The digital Sealing was added so that legal entities would have their digital signature.

Q19: What are the documents required to obtain a digital signature certificate?

- A data registration form will be completed.
- Contract signed with the licensed company (CSP).
- Personal Identity verified by the National ID card or passport.
- Service fees to be paid.

If the digital signature is issued to an employee of a company, the applicant for the digital signature certificate will have to submit the following documents:

- Copy of the company's commercial register.
- Copy of the tax card (Taxpayer ID).
- Copy of the company's commercial license (activity practice license).
Signed and sealed letter from the company's human resources department.

Q20: What I will receive from a licensed company (CSP) when issuing a digital signature certificate?

- Smart Token, and a closed envelope with the password, which can be changed.
- The company's original contract, a CD containing the installation program, and the guide.

Q21: How to adopt a contract signed with a digital signature from an entity outside Egypt? (Or) what are the guiding steps for obtaining a digital signature certificate?

First of all, there are two types of digital signature. The first is the digital signature of a natural person and the digital seal of the legal person (entity or company), and for the digital signature or digital sealing to be approved within the Arab Republic of Egypt, the signer must have obtained digital signature or digital Sealing from one of the companies Licensed by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), and to get this certificate, the applicant must personally go to one of the licensed companies to obtain the service and verify the identity of the service applicant. Thus, these certificates shall have the legal authenticity derived from the Egyptian Digital Signature Law No. (15) of 2004.

These certificates can be used in Digital transactions. Digital transactions that take place using these certificates shall have the same legal authority in evidence for handwriting and the ordinary signature provided in the law of proof in civil and commercial Articles.

To obtain a digital signature certificate: Go to one of the Licensed companies by the Agency, and if an individual wants to use this certificate in a personal capacity, a data registration form will be completed, and a contract signed with the company and the identity is verified through the national number card or passport, but if it is The digital signature is issued to an employee of a company. The applicant for the digital signature certificate will have to submit the following documents

- Copy of the company's commercial registry newspaper
- Copy of the tax number card
- Copy of the company's commercial license (license to practice activity)
- Signed and sealed letter from the human resources.

For issuing a digital sealing to a company, in addition to the previous documents, the application must be submitted and signed by the responsible manager or its legal representative at the licensee's premises, and he\she has the right to sign on behalf the company according to the commercial register or under an authorization.

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