eIDs for secure transfer of files and information

Introduction

The problem of 'secure' email is being dealt with by many different vendors. Each solution comes with its own interpretation of the key or password exchange.

This is increasingly being resisted by end users who must adapt from one system to the next. Cryptshare has therefore decided to integrate eIDs for secure communication.

Get in touch if you want to find out more and discuss your use cases with us.

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What is eIDAS?

In 2016, the member states of the European Union regulated electronic ID capabilities for their citizens in the digital marketplace. This provided a standardised basis to help companies and institutions as well as users add security and traceability to any digital process.

This so-called eIDAS regulation (eIDAS stands for electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services) brought about a multitude of national providers of compliant eIDs, all of which met the same secure standard. Today, these eIDs can be used for authentication when communicating with authorities, banks, organisations in the health care sector and so on.

However, these days, usage still varies widely. In Sweden in 2020, more than 95% of its citizens used their eIDAS compliant BankID, whereas there were far fewer opportunities for German citizens to use their new national electronic ID. However, it is gaining quick momentum and will become the de facto standard.

What is eID?

The electronic identity, or eID, is proof of identity in digital form. With eID, it is possible to access services provided by companies, organisations, and public authorities. These can be, for example, payment transactions that take place online or the re-registration of a car.

For this purpose, the identity is authenticated with the help of eID. In concrete terms, this means that there is clear proof that you really are who you claim to be. There are various identity providers with which electronic identity verification can be carried out. In Germany, for example, these are yes®, verimi and the new identity card (nPA), which is equipped with an online ID function.

The European eIDAS regulation has created a standard for electronic identification as well as a framework for cross-border use and mutual recognition of digital identity and trust services so that nationally valid eIDs can also be used throughout the EU.

Example of BankID as first integration

Video

Screencast: secure emails and file transfers with BankID

Watch this video how to use your BankID when sending and receiving encrypted files and confidential messages via the Cryptshare Web App.

Press release

Signicat & Cryptshare enable secure digital communication with clear electronic proof of identity

Exclusive cooperation agreement creates solution offering groundbreaking possibilities

Oslo and Freiburg im Breisgau, 31 March 2021 – Signicat and Cryptshare, two leading providers in their respective fields, successfully combine platform-independent email encryption and secure file transfer with trusted sender and recipient identities. This way, information in business communication can be exchanged securely and with legal proof of who sent and received it. The planned solution goes far beyond the customary methods of identification: It offers numerous new use cases for communication in the B2B or B2C environment and thus meets the rapidly increasing
demand for binding confidentiality in the digital world. It is characterised, above all, by maximum usability for end users, which is the most important basis for any sustainable application in practice. Despite the complexity of the project, a concrete market offering is expected in Q3 2021.

A solution for secure digital exchanges with identity verification for sender and recipient

With the Signicat platform, it is possible to use Cryptshare’s services with eIDs secure authentications. The new solution will be regularly supplemented by various digital identification services. Although their use is not yet widespread, the need for such services has increased significantly due to the situation created by COVID-19. Severely reduced in-person contacts led to an intensified use of digital contact options. This development will be expanded on in the future because of the gains in efficiency for all parties involved. Clear proof of identity will become an increasingly integral part of secure digital communication.

Despite all predictions to the contrary, email has been firmly established in everyday business as well as private life for many years, with 87% of all citizens in the United Kingdom using email in 2020 (source: Statista). As a familiar medium, it brings enormous added value if it is available as a basis for secure and, above all, clearly traceable communication. This includes and is not limited to exchanges between citizens and authorities, with doctors or hospitals, and correspondence with banks or insurance companies. Until now, such communication has mostly been managed via disparate systems such as secure forms of individual administration portals or 'private' mailboxes of banks. However, the resulting multitude of different methods, passwords, and platforms represents a roadblock for most end users. This significantly hinders widespread use, so existing solutions suffer from a lack of acceptance in their practical application and the investments made by providers are thus rendered inefficient.

Signicat and Cryptshare are now working on the missing and overdue combination of platform-independent email and the clear digital identity of users to counteract this.

Cooperation on a level playing field

It was important for both providers to find an equal partnership for this task, and they have already started on the different sub-projects. The market offering is planned for Q3 2021, despite the ambitious objectives of the project. Anders Ljungqvist, Managing Director at Signicat Germany and Dominik Lehr, CEO at Cryptshare, agree that the cooperation will have a strong impact on the market share of both companies. They also emphasise that the partnership, which is characterised by openness and trust, is the basis for fruitful collaboration and joint success in the future.