Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 unifies the ways of electronic signing and verification of documents within the member states of the European Union. The aim is to standardize the use of uniform electronic signature formats and signature validation. In this relation, B–Trust provides a platform for electronic signing with qualified electronic signature in compliance with the European standards.
FORMATS OF ELECTRONIC SIGNING
CAdES – a format that meets the requirements of the European standard
It builds on the used up to now CMS/PKCS7 format, by mixing signed and unsigned attributes, allowing different levels of signing by which can be achieved long–term storage of the signed documents. The format allows electronic signing of unspecified files. The extensions of the signed files are the well–known up to now ".p7m" for “ENVELOPING” type of signature and ".p7s" for “DETACHED” type of signature.
PAdES – meets the requirements of the European standards
and
It builds on the used up to now PDF format for electronic signing (specified in
), by mixing signed and unsigned attributes, allowing similarly to the CAdES format, to be achieved long–term storage of the signed PDF documents. The format allows electronic signing of PDF files only. Only “ENVELOPED” type of signature is supported. The extension of the signed file is ".pdf".
XAdES – meets the requirements of the European standards
and
It builds on the used up to now XML format for electronic signing by mixing signed and unsigned attributes allowing long–term storage of the signed documents. The format allows electronic signing of XML files only. “ENVELOPED”, “ENVELOPING” and “DETACHED” types of signature are supported. The extension of the signed file is ".xml".
SIGNING LEVELS
Different levels of signing can be applied to each of the electronic signature formats. Each level, by adding different attributes to the signature, ensures the validity of the signature for long–term storage:
BASELINE_B – basic level of electronic signature. Ensures integrity of the signed document and irrevocability of the electronic signature.
BASELINE_T – Time stamp has been added to the basic level of the signature as proof of existence of the signature at that time.
BASELINE_LT – To the basic level of a Time stamp are added attributes (CRL and OCSP) that provide validity of the signature, by checking only the signed file without requiring additional checks such as status of the QES certificate or searching for the certification chain of the QES certificate. The purpose of this level is to provide information for the validity of the signature upon a long storage of the signed file.
BASELINE_LTA – in addition to the verified time and additional attributes (Time stamp, CRL and OCSP) allowing independent check of the signature, also allows regular update of the certified time and validation of the signature long after its creation. The purpose of this level is to provide integrity of the information for the validity of the signature upon a long storage of the signed file.
ENVELOPED
ENVELOPED – the signed document contains, i.e. the signature is subdivision in the signed document. It is applicable for PAdES, XAdES formats.
ENVELOPING
ENVELOPING – the signature contains the signed document, i.e. the whole signed object is within the signature. It is applicable for CAdES, XAdES formats.
DETACHED
DETACHED – the signature and the document are in separate files. It is applicable for CAdES, XAdES formats.
