With the advent of electronic document management in business use, the abbreviation EDS began to be used in everyday speech, corresponding to the concept of e-signature (e-sign). The abbreviation stands for "electronic signature" and means certification by a certain person of a non-handwritten document executed by him, intended to be sent via telecommunication channels and through online services on the portals of government agencies.
An electronic signature is designed to protect against counterfeiting an electronic document stored in digital form or transmitted through various media. According to Federal Law No. 63 "On Electronic Signature", a document certified by an electronic signature is equivalent to a similar document on paper, sealed with a handwritten signature.
A person needs an electronic signature to confirm the confidentiality and integrity of virtual documents that are stored on his personal computer (texts, drawings, developments) or sent via the Internet to a particular department (letters, statements, notifications, contracts). ES ensures the protection of personal information from third parties and identifies its owner who sends or receives a virtual document. E-signature is an attribute of the exchange of information in electronic format.
How to put an ES on a document
Having installed the electronic signature on a personal computer, it is necessary to configure the affixing of an e-signature to the files sent. Most often, documents in pdf or word format are required to sign.
The signature of a text document depends on the program in which it is generated. In the Open Office application, on the toolbar, in the File tab, the Digital Signatures section is immediately provided. If the text is formed in Word 2010, then in the upper left corner, click on "File" and find the inscription "Information". Further, in the "Protect document" section at the very bottom, select the button that allows you to put an e-signature. In Microsoft Word 2007, a special section with electronic signature will open if you go to Office (the button in the upper left corner), then Prepare. In Word 2003, you need to go to a tool such as "Tools", then "Options". Next, in the "Security" tab, select "Digital Signatures".
When certifying an electronic document in pdf format, the algorithm of actions is as follows. In the program Adobe Acrobat Reader on the taskbar you need to go to the section "Editing", the tab "Preferences". From "Category" go to "Digital Signatures" and select your e-signature.
Where to apply for registration of electronic signature
Certification Authorities (CA) have the right to issue keys and electronic signature certificates. Their powers are confirmed by the accreditation of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of Russia. The register of such organizations is published on the department's website and on the EGPU portal. There are several ways to get ES through the certification center:
- contact the selected CA or the office of its authorized representative in person. After presenting your passport, TIN and SNILS number, you should fill out an application for obtaining an electronic signature;
- submit an electronic application on the website of the certification center. The CA manager will process the request and send the necessary instructions to the email you specified;
- it is more difficult and longer (but possible) to issue an e-signature through an application from the portal for the issuance of enhanced electronic signature through the post office.
Obtaining a simple electronic signature (PES) for an individual at the CA usually takes one business day. It will take several days to issue an enhanced signature (UNEP), which is issued on an electronic storage device (USB-flash, eToken, etc.).
You can use the services of the MFC. This is convenient because the centers provide public services on an extraterritorial basis. The applicant's registration address does not matter, and you can contact the My Documents office not only at your place of residence. You can get a simple electronic signature key and confirm a citizen's account in the Unified identification and authentication system for free at any MFC branch throughout Russia on the day of contact. And the process of issuing a strengthened ES key can take up to seven working days from the date of submission of the application, since the term for the provision of this service is set by the certification center. The cryptographic key on the removable storage device is obtained from the MFC. Or they independently record it on any data carrier (hard drive, USB-flash, UEC, smart card) after receiving a file containing a CEP by e-mail.
If a citizen needs a simple electronic signature, the easiest way to issue it is by submitting an online application on the public services portal. In this case, you are free to determine the method of confirmation of your choice - by Russian Post or through the MFC.
The type of e-signature that an individual intends to receive depends on the purpose for which the ES will be used. If you need confirmation not only of authorship, but also protection against changes to the document, you will need an enhanced electronic signature. You cannot do without it, for example, when an individual creates a taxpayer's personal account without using a registration card of the Federal Tax Service. When only confirmation of the owner's identity is required, a simple electronic signature is sufficient. By Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 996 of 30.08.2018, citizens are allowed to use a simple electronic signature to work with the portal of public services.
