Digital Signature Security and Legal Compliance Posted on October 28, 2022 - 3:33 pm by John Webster Secured Signing conforms Secure trusted service Secured Signing web service uses Digital Signatures PKI technology for digitally signing documents. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology has been proven to be the ONLY technology available today that ensures non-forgeable signatures. In a PKI system, you will get as a user, two keys: a public key and a private key. These keys are used for encrypting and decrypting information, digitally signing electronic information and verifying the authenticity of their owner. While the public key is distributed widely, the corresponding private key is held and encrypted in Secured Signing hardware (HSM) device and only the private key’s owner able to access and use it. The EU Directive 1999/93/EC for Digital Signatures recognised and defined a stronger type of electronic signature, the Advanced Electronic Signature. Only Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) digital signatures meet the requirements for such signatures. Legally binding service Digital signatures that use PKI technology sustain signer authenticity, accountability, data integrity and non-repudiation of documents and transactions. In 1999, the EU passed the “EU Directive for Electronic Signatures” and on June 30, 2000, President Clinton signed into law the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (“ESIGN”), which made signed electronic contracts and documents as legally binding as a paper-based contract. In recent years, most countries worldwide have adopted legislation and regulations that recognise the legality of a digital signature and deem it to be a binding signature. Many of them have an Electronic Transactions Act in place. These legislations create a uniform standard for all electronic transactions and encourage the use of electronic signatures, giving electronic signatures the same legal effect as pen-and-paper signatures. “Signing documents online with Secured Signing is the online equivalent of the signatories being in the same room together” Rick Shera, Partner, LOWNDES JORDAN Barristers & Solicitors Secured signing service complies with ESIGN, UETA, Electronic Transactions Acts and many more. Some Legislation worldwide: Australian Capital Territory -ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2001 Australia, New SouthWales (NSW) – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2000 Australia, Northern Territory (NT) – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2000 Australia, QLD – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS (QUEENSLAND) ACT 2001 Australia, VIC – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS (VICTORIA) ACT 2000 Australia, SA – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2000 Australia, WA – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2003 Australia, Tasmania – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2000 Canada – Uniform Electronic Commerce Act (UECA) China – Electronic Signature Law of the People’s Republic of China Europe – EU Directive for Electronic Signatures (1999/93/EC) Europe – EU VAT Directive New Zealand – ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2002 South Africa – Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 UK – Electronic Communications Act 2000 (chapter 7) U.S. – Electronic Signature in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) U.S. – Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA)- adopted by 48 states Please Note: Nothing on this page constitutes Legal advice
Secured Signing introduces Multi-Factor Authentication Posted on March 22, 2022 - 8:41 pm by John Webster Launch of the newest security feature: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) via SMS or Authenticator AppThis comes at a time where cybersecurity is front of mind for all in the digital workspace and provides users of Secured Signing with an additional layer of security on top of the current login process. Users will then be prompted to confirm they are who they say they are by entering a short numerical code which is received via SMS or an authenticator app of the users choosing. A combination of customer feedback and Secured Signing’s drive for continuous improvement and being the serious signing platform for serious documents played a part in the decision to develop and release an MFA solution. “It is important for Secured Signing to provide our customers with the right tools to enhance their security within their organization,” says Mike Eyal, Founder, and CTO at Secured Signing. “We offer many security features to Enterprise customers such as integrations with Single-Sign-On providers, with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) being an extension of that.” With a few clicks and minimal set-up, Secured Signing users can now utilize the MFA function out of the box with their paid Secured Signing Pay-as-you-Go, Business, or Enterprise account. MFA is a powerful tool in reducing the risk of a security breach within an organization. Secured Signing is not enforcing MFA or stopping non-MFA users from accessing Secured Signing. However, there is a plan to auto-enable and enforce MFA for all logins to Secured Signing in the future. This is to ensure that Secured Signing provides all customers with the highest level of security possible.About Secured SigningSecured Signing is a one-stop digital signature service that delivers a full range of form completion, eSigning, and Remote Online Notarization capabilities. Using advanced personalized X509 PKI Digital Signature technology, it is more secure than a plain electronic signature. Secured Signing enables its users to use any device to capture their graphical signature, fill-in, sign, seal and verify documents anywhere, anytime. The solution streamlines business processes, reduces expenses, expedites delivery cycles, improves staff efficiency, and enhances customer service in a green environment.
Secured Signing achieves ISO 27001 Certification Posted on September 29, 2021 - 8:41 pm by John Webster Secured Signing is proud to be ISO 27001 Certified.This is a monumental step for the Secured Signing team achieved through high commitment and leadership in establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving the Information Security Management System (ISMS).Mike Eyal, Founder and CEO of Secured Signing said that“it is important that our customers know that our platform will always support the signing of serious documents through information security best practices. We are a globally operating and growing business, and as we expand further into international markets, it is essential we establish information security processes, policies and controls to protect us and our customers.”Secured Signing holds Certificate Number IS 747283 and operates an Information Security Management System which complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001:2013 for the following scope:“For the design, development, quality assurance, implementation, maintenance, and support of a Digital Signature andNotary Platform delivered as Software as a Service, including platform infrastructure, in accordance with Statementof Applicability, Version 1.1, dated 05 July 2021.”In reception of the ISO 27001 certification, Secured Signing must maintain and continually improve its informationsecurity management system with annual external audits as a control for this requirement.Gal Thompson, General Manager of Secured Signing is excited to see what will happen over the upcoming years. “SecuredSigning will continue to meet industry standards and now looks forward to meeting other compliance standards such asHIPAA, MISMO, and SOC-2. Continually improving and innovating is at the core of what we do here at Secured Signing,so naturally, we will continue to strive for better and work together toward a common goal – to be the number 1digital signing platform for serious documents and to give each business the help & support they need to becomepaper-free.”About Secured SigningSecured Signing provides a one stop digital signature service that delivers a full range of form completion and eSigning capabilities. Using advanced personalized X509 PKI Digital Signature technology, it is more secure than a plain electronic signature.Secured Signing enables its users to use any device to capture their graphical signature, fill-in, sign, seal and verify documents anywhere, anytime. The solution streamlines business processes, cuts back on expenses, expedites delivery cycles, improves staff efficiency, and enhances customer service in a green environment.To learn more about Secured Signing visit www.securedsigning.com
Considering Remote Online Notarization? These 7 Benefits will Make the Decision for You. Posted on November 12, 2020 - 10:23 pm by John Webster Remote Online Notarization, or RON, can be a novel and daunting prospect but this technological alternative to physically notarizing documents has its benefits. The use of audio-video, digital signature and digital certificate technology allows you to conduct your notarization sessions over the internet rather than in person. With technology becoming more affordable and internet connectivity becoming increasingly faster, RON is now a viable option for Notaries Public. If you are a Notary Public, consider these benefits when deciding to utilize a RON platform within your own notarization business. These benefits may help you take the leap and see why many Notaries Public across the US are adopting this new way of doing things. Your Safety is Paramount Notarize documents from the safety of your own home – an all-in-one RON platform allows you to notarize documents from anywhere, anytime, on any device. No need to worry about meeting clients in foreign locations. Work Efficiently and Remotely A RON session can be completed from within the comfort of the Notary Public’s home and cover distances as wide as your state’s borders. With no travel time, notarize more documents and increase your earning potential. Reduce Paper, Printing, and Postage Remote online notarization fully digitizes the notarization process which means no more paper, printing, or postage. Gone are the stacks of paper, FedEx courier bags, and countless empty ink cartridges. The noticeable reduction in your operating expenses will allow you to enjoy the savings within your bank account. We know that when operating a business, every cost saved counts. Improve and speed up your overall notarization process With everything digitized, you can get things signed, notarized, and e-mailed away all in the same day. These documents can be stored, filed, and easily searched for on your computer improving storage and recall of information, if required. Securely Sign and Notarize Depending on your RON provider, the documents that you are signing, and notarizing are just as secure as what the physical versions would be – even more so! The use of digital certificates (such as from IdenTrust), identity proofing, credential analysis allow you to protect yourself against identity fraud, ensuring the people who are on the other side of the RON session are who they say they are. Use an Electronic Notary Journal Using RON means there is no need to carry that notepad you’ve been using for years around with you. From your basement flooding to accidentally misplacing your notepad with all your notarization records, rest easy knowing that an electronic notary journal has all the key information logged and securely stored digitally. Improved Client Experience We have mentioned all the benefits that the Notary Public will get when using RON, but what about the client? Clients reap all the same benefits as the Notary Public- security, speedy notarization processes, less traveling, less time, less hassle. Once a client experiences RON they will be recommending you to their family, friends, and co-workers whenever a document needs to be notarized. So, what are you waiting for? Secured Signing, a digital signature and digital forms company, provides a Remote Online Notarization platform, built for Notaries Public. After months of testing and Notary Public feedback, their platform is now up and running and ready to be used for RON sessions. Interested? Contact Secured Signing or visit www.securedsigning.com
Court Case showcases Digital Signing’s shortfalls but there is a Solution Posted on September 2, 2020 - 6:55 am by John Webster Digital Signing adoption across the world is rowing with Government Regulations being adapted to allow a huge range of documents to be Digitally Signed. Getting documents signed digitally is not without risks however and if you use the wrong provider or software solution toget your serious documents signed you could find yourself in trouble in the future. One recent court case in Australia involving a business lender who was using DocuSign and it perfectly highlights the possible repercussions if incorrect signing processes are followed or the wrong software selected. Read on for details of the case plus how they could have avoided the issue in the first place. Marketlend Pty Ltd v Blackburn [2020] NSWDC 358 The business lender Marketlend advanced credit of $600,000AUD to a company called Blackburn, run by a husband and wife. Using their standard digital signing process and DocuSign software the loan documents including personal guarantees were sent for signing to both the husband and wife who both signed digitally. Blackburn later went into liquidation and were unable to make any significant repayments to Marketlend, with the debt growing to over $700,000. A court case ensued. Marketlend felt they had a viable case – relying upon the wife’s personal guarantee as proof of initializing the loan agreement. According to the wife, they were separated at the time of the loan agreement and the wife denied signing anything or being liable for the $700,000. Although Marketlend had a digitally signed document by both parties, it was later found that the husband had access to both her company email and DocuSign account, and signed the documents on her behalf. Utilizing information saved by the e-signing company and mobile telephone location evidence – the court corroborated the wife’s stance, which in turn meant the loan agreement was not legally binding. In this case, the lack of signer authentication and identity verification throughout the business loan signing process was Marketlends downfall. So, what could they have done differently to ensure the identities of Blackburn’s signee’s were correctly verified, and that the digital documents were executed in a way to protect from forgery? How to Avoid this Issue by Verifying Who is Signing a Digital Document There are a number of different techniques Marketlend could of utilised to verify the documents were digitally signed bythe right person – if they were using software which offered those features such as Secured Signing. Along with email verification and document passwords, Secured Signing offers two additional options to verify the identityof who is signing: SMS Verification As this case showed, company email addresses are not 100% secure and although email verification and password protecting documents is a good start – including a mobile verification step takes verifying who is signing to the next level, after all it’s not often people are without their phone. Secured Signing’s SMS Verification feature sends an SMS code to the signee’s mobile phone which is used to access the document before signing can take place. Video Confirmation Having both email and SMS verification add a layer of protection during the initial phase of digitally signing a document, but access to both can still be compromised. For the ultimate protection, Secured Signing have created a feature called Video Confirmation which can verify & prove who signed a document easily in the future. With a simple tick of a box when signing documents – signees must record a 10-second video of themselves performing a specific random gesture during the signing process. The recording is easy for the signee to complete and can be done on any device so adds no friction to the signing process. Watch the full Video Confirmation demo video here! The completed video recording then attaches automatically to the signed document and can be accessed at the time to verify the identity of the signee and in the future as long-term evidence that proves exactly who digitally signed the document. Had Marketlend been using Secured Signing’s Video Confirmation feature they would have quickly seen it was not the wife signing the document and never would have advanced the $700,000 avoiding this issue completely. Worried about your own digital signing solution or digital signing in general? If you’re getting serious documents signed, successfully verifying a signee’s identity is an important step in the digital signing process and ensures a digitally executed document can be upheld in court, or in general business proceedings. Secured Signing are the only digital signing platform offering the Video Confirmation feature and it’s actually just one of the many features we have available to ensure non-repudiation of contracts. If after seeing this court case you are worried about your current digital signing solution and are serious about safeguarding your business, signatures and documents, get in touch today and we’ll work with you to ensure your company is protected.
How to Keep Your Business Documents Safe Posted on December 11, 2018 - 10:55 am by John Webster Are your business documents protected against breaches? You may have heard about the data breaches hitting big enterprises, but small and medium sized businesses are at risk too. SMEs are dealing with: ● Increased hacks; hackers see SMEs with little security as easy targets, ● Poor data security is a business risk: hacked SMEs soon go out of business. Document security doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. In this post we will discuss three ways you can start securing your business documents today. 1. Have a Document Management Plan Seventeen percent of businesses admit to storing paperwork in a shed; a further 16% keep business documents in a garage. These were some of the most shocking findings from a Cleardata Study. Most of the businesses surveyed kept documents in costly filing cabinets, drawers and cupboards. While these are better choices than a shed, they’re still expensive and inefficient options. A good document management system would include the following: ● Destroying dated client documents, ● Ensuring you have easy access to documents, ● Indexing and labelling documents. An easy way to get the job done is to digitize your document storage.There’re a few reasons this might be the better option in the long-term: ● In the U.S, 98% of data breaches in one government division involved paper records, majority of document security breaches come with paper, ● Over 60% of business who suffer a breach will go out of business within six months, ● Managing paper documents cost U.S. businesses $8 billion annually. Going digital means less storage costs, improved security and increased productivity as staff spend less time searching and refiling documents through filing cabinets. 2. Use Digital Signatures On top of making it easier and safer to store your digital documents, a digital signing platform makes it easier to do business and protects your firm against fraud.A couple, from Canada, leased a BMW but then stopped making payments. The BMW dealership seized the vehicle and ended up selling it at a loss on the open market. The car dealership opened up a case to reclaim their losses from the couple. The couple then alleged BMW had forged their signatures onto the lease applications. Eventually BMW won, but only after a court battle that tested the evidence. Let’s consider how digital signatures – which come with an audit trail – might reduce your vulnerability to potential fraud. While electronic signatures come with its own risks, and can be easily falsified, digital signatures offer unique protection. When you use a digital signature tool, a Certificate Authority binds your identity to a PKI-based Digital Certificate. Users end up with a unique digital fingerprint. PKI technology is the only technology in the world that makes it impossible to forge signatures. Using a tool like Secured Signing also lets everyone who has signed the document know when any changes have been made. All documents come with a complete digital trail. 3. Password-Protect Your Files Password protecting your client data is a simple way to start securing your documents today. This is one of the practical tips from the Federal Trade Commission in the United States of America. To mark National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the FTC launched a new resource to help 32 million businesses across the US protect themselves against hacks. It doesn’t have to be hard. In Microsoft Word and Excel, click: File Info Protect document Encrypt with password Add an additional form of security by introducing different access levels for staff. It may not be necessary for all employees to have access to client’s personal information. Conclusion Securing your business data – and private customer information – has never been more important. The digital age has given rise to affordable technologies to keeping your business documents safe. By protecting your customers’ data, you’re investing in protecting the future of your company.
Secured Signing’s Digital Signatures are Legally Binding Posted on November 28, 2017 - 3:24 pm by John Webster We are often asked if our digital signatures are legally binding and have the same legal effect as pen and paper signatures.The answer is yes, they are! Today, most countries worldwide have welcomed the use of electronic signatures as a way to move beyond a paper-based environment. They have passed legislation and regulations such as Electronic Transactions Acts regarding the signing of documents in electronic format. These Acts recognize the legality of digital signature and deem it to be a binding signature. These legislations also create a uniform standard for all electronic transactions and require the following criteria to be met for a digital signature to be binding:1. Identification of signatory2. The intent for signing3. Signature creation is directly to the person signing and no one else4. Signatory is in sole control of the signing process5. Any changes to the signature or and changes to the document are detectable establishing data integrity.Whilst there are number of ways to sign electronically, Secured Signing is considered to be the ONLY digital signing platform that complies and exceeds these requirements.With Secured Signing’s trusted digital Signature solution, you will have peace of mind that you are signing digitally in the most secure way. As always, if you have specific questions, please get in touch and someone will contact you personally.
Signing Documents Online, How do you know Who was Behind the Keyboard? Posted on November 15, 2017 - 9:19 am by John Webster Many of our customers have asked us how do you know who signed the document? Who was behind the keyboard?With security features such as two factor authentications, identification verification and SMS passcode, Secured Signing offers multiple levels of security to identify the signer.Personalized PKI X509 Digital Signature technology means that once a document has been signed the document content is sealed and any changes to the document it will invalidate the signature.To provide additional evidence to prove exactly who was behind the keyboard / device during the signing ceremony, we have created video confirmation as an add on feature, this records the person who is signing the document.So how does video confirmation work?To enable video confirmation with Secured Signing, you simply tick the box to add video confirmation to the signing process and the signee will be asked to record a video.It will activate the camera device and will capture a short video of the signer and require unique confirmation gestures to be met. The video has a unique URL link and to watch the video you have to enter a password. These 2 elements are embedded in the document and become part of the document itself.After signing you can watch the video and compare the person in the video with other forms of identification. Video confirmation provides you with additional evidence to prove the signers identity in case of a dispute.Digital Signature with Video confirmation provides the strongest digital signature solution in the market. Secured Signing are the first in the world to combines both technologies.With Secured Signing’s trusted digital Signature solution, you will have peace of mind that you are signing digitally in the most secure way. As always, if you have specific questions, please get in touch and someone will contact you personally.
Stop risking your business by using scanned signatures and switch to Secured Signing today Posted on August 30, 2017 - 5:12 pm by John Webster Tim Osborn, of Osborn Law, wrote recently in the Newcastle Herald about a court case that highlights the risks in relying on scanned signatures as a form of signing. It’s a reminder that if you need to sign, then you should sign with a tamper proof digital signature that is unique to you and your document. Nothing else is worth the risk. In the case in question, an electronic image of the signature was readily accessible on the corporate network. The court held that documents signed by simply pasting the image into a document, were not legally binding. It was not possible to demonstrate that the owner of the signature had personally applied their signature to the document or given their explicit consent to do so. The result was a loss of business and a costly court case. It could have all been avoided by using a digital signature service such as Secured Signing. Signing a document using Secured Signing is as a simple click to sign process that differs from scanned signatures in a number of really important ways. The first is that Secured Signing gives you an automated log of every action performed in the signing process. This is one of the key pieces of advice Mr Osborn gives in his article. Good quality record keeping is invaluable in demonstrating that a signed document is evidence of a legally binding agreement. Secured Signing completely automates the logging of every action so your people don’t have to waste their time, keeping manual records of who did what and when. The second is validating the identity of your signer. A key problem in the case referenced is that it could not be demonstrated that the person who applied the signature to the document was the owner of the signature. Secured Signing creates unique credentials for each person who will sign your document that only they can access. Adding video confirmation to your signing process captures a brief video recording of the person signing your document, to give you a signed document that cannot be reasonably challenged. The final thing I’ll mention is the inherent authenticity and reliability of PKI based digital signatures. A digital signature is much more than a graphical representation of a person’s signature. It provides sophisticated methods to seal the signed document from tampering and creates an irrevocable, unforgeable and no transferrable link between the signer and the document. As you know, inviting people to sign your documents with Secured Signing is quick, simple, inexpensive and reduces your risk. Share with your friends and colleagues that they too can enjoy the benefits Secured Signing, help us spread the word and they can be signing documents online today with one of our Freeway evaluation accounts.
Know Your Customer (KYC) with Video Confirmation and Secured Signing Posted on August 8, 2017 - 1:13 am by John Webster It seems obvious but it bears repeating. Being absolutely clear on who is signing your document, not only makes good business sense, it is also a compliance requirement for many industries. Adding video confirmation to Secured Signing’s usual signing process ensures there can be no doubt about who signed your document. Even if your business is not subject to anti money laundering and counter terrorism financing (AML/CTF) legislation, robust customer due diligence practices will give you a competitive advantage, limit your exposure to the risk of loss and protect your business from damage to its reputation. It’s also just plain good sense. If there is ever a dispute, being able to simply and clearly demonstrate who signed your document will ensure you are best placed to recover monies owed or the return of equipment hired or leased. It is not just banks and other lenders that need to comply with the customer due diligence requirements of AML/CTF legislation. A recent mutual evaluation of Australia’s AML/CTF frameworks gave an overall pass mark, but highlighted key areas of concern. Research by AUSTRAC, the Australian government’s financial intelligence agency, indicates the outcomes around customer due diligence (CDD) vary from very high confidence to closer to 50% confidence in customer identity. This is an area that needs to improve as AUSTRAC rightly identifies that knowing your customer is “the cornerstone of an effective AML/CTF regime.” It is not surprising that regulatory reform proposals recommend both more explicit CDD requirements and the application of CDD requirements to a broader range of industries. Secured Signing’s video confirmation capability is a simple yet powerful tool to demonstrate you know exactly who is signing your documents. Customers expect to be able to transact business with you online. Inviting your customers to sign documents online with Secured Signing gives you the capability to meet this expectation of customer convenience while enjoying the security, authenticity and reliability that only tamper proof digital signatures can provide. Adding a video confirmation to your online signing process gives you complete confidence you know who you are dealing with and in particular who signed your agreement. When you ask customers to use video confirmation in the signing process, they are prompted to record a short video before they sign the document. The whole process takes no more than 10 seconds. The video records a specific gesture which is recorded in the Secured Signing document log and the video’s secure location is appended to the document and sealed with the PKI digital signature, ensuring the details cannot be modified without invalidating the signature. If your non face to face transactions don’t give you this degree of confidence in knowing who your customer is, it is time to closely evaluate the benefits Secured Signing can give you. The best first step is to open a free evaluation account and try video confirmation of signing yourself. Secured Signing’s website provides a lot more detail on how video confirmation works to deliver unquestionable confirmation of signer’s identity. As always, if you have specific questions, please get in touch and someone will contact you personally.