For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Best Practices: Customer Onboarding

A Visible Target During Economic Uncertainty

by Craig Le Clair, April 27, 2009

Take customer onboarding . . . please. Customer onboarding lags behind other business processes in both the quality of customer experience and costs. The poor state of customer onboarding results in customers abandoning the application process, loss of . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

Inquiry Spotlight: E-Signatures, Q2 2009

by Bill Nagel, April 2, 2009

The current economic and regulatory climate has made it more important than ever for firms to find ways of streamlining business processes while maintaining the security and integrity of the associated data. E-signatures combine the security of digital . . .

For Technology Product Management & Marketing Professionals

Hot Banking Tech Companies To Watch In 2009

Profiles Of Technology Companies That Address Banking's Changed World

by Ellen Carney, December 22, 2008

The banking industry is going through its most challenging period since the Great Depression. Bank capital structures are stressed because of write-downs and write-offs, formerly high-flying investment banks face the more regulated world of retail banking, . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

Extending Mobile Identity Beyond Authentication

Banks, Mobile Operators, And Vendors Team Up For SIM Card-Based Security

by Bill Nagel, April 11, 2008

With mobile phones reaching saturation levels in many countries, banks and other service providers are taking a second look at providing financial and commercial services over the mobile channel. Mobile banking and PKI both flamed out spectacularly in . . .

For Security & Risk Professionals

Government eID Projects Need Private Sector Initiative And Support For Broader Success

A Look At Europe's Experience With PKI-Enabled National ID Cards

by Bill Nagel, April 7, 2008

To date, at least 12 European countries have either developed or rolled out national electronic citizen IDs (eIDs) based on a government-created and -managed public key infrastructure (PKI) or are in the process of doing so. National governments intended . . .

E-Sign Here, Please

by Paul Stamp, Barry Murphy, May 31, 2006

Electronic signatures help organizations streamline business processes, save costs, and improve transaction security. Despite these benefits, however, firms still view electronic signatures with trepidation — heterogeneous legal environments around the . . .

Applying Electronic Signatures to Word Documents

by Jan Sundgren, May 13, 2003

There are several options for signing Microsoft Word documents. Word 2002 users have digital certificates that can use the native capabilities in Word for applying digital signatures. For stronger capabilities, consider a variety of third-party products.

Electronic Signature Requirements in the European Electronic Invoicing Directive

by Jan Sundgren, January 15, 2003

The implications of the new European Union electronic invoicing provisions appear to be somewhat controversial and unclear, but the eventual outcome will likely be a strong trend towards using digital signatures on invoices.

Use of Electronic Signatures for Student Loans

by Jan Sundgren, December 27, 2002

This type of transaction is a great example of how the context of a transaction can greatly reduce the evidentiary burden on the actual signature that seals the transaction.

Users Like Electronic Signing

December 26, 2002

Organizations should not let concerns about user acceptance dissuade them from deploying an electronic signature solution. If anything, organizations should take a skeptical approach to expensive measures targeted solely at easing acceptance.

Electronic Signature Successes in Financial Services

by Jan Sundgren, December 18, 2002

The deployment of electronic signing is expanding, and while it's still hard to gauge the precise rate of growth, early successes are emerging, particularly in the financial services sector where the regulations often require contracts and signatures.

Server-Side Digital Signatures Spark Interest

by Jan Sundgren, November 18, 2002

The desire to reduce costs and delays associated with traditional signatures, plus the widespread perception that PKI is difficult and expensive, is sparking interest in simplified electronic signing solutions, including server-side digital signatures.

Helping Users Transition to Electronic Signatures

by Jan Sundgren, July 16, 2002

An electronic signature deployment should obviously include a user training program. By pointing out how electronic signatures will eliminate hassles and speed up services, organizations will generate support rather than resistance.

Digital Signatures and Expired Certificates

by Jan Sundgren, May 23, 2002

Digital certificates generally expire within a few years, which raises the question: How can the validity of signed documents be checked years after the associated certificates have expired?

Signature Capture Vendors

by Jan Sundgren, April 22, 2002

Organizations considering electronic signature solutions will find a number of vendors in the business of signature capture. These vendors sell products for turning signatures written by hand into electronic counterparts — a valuable technology.

Using Signature Capture for Electronic Signatures

by Jan Sundgren, April 22, 2002

An important strength of sign capture technology is that it closely mimics a traditional signing process, making users more comfortable and dispelling questions about whether they understand that they are "signing" something.

IT Trends 2002: Electronic Signature

by Jan Sundgren, April 15, 2002

Relative to its potential, the use of electronic signature technologies is in its infancy. Technologies and markets are still maturing and legal uncertainties remain, but the enormous benefits of eliminating paper are sparking widespread interest.

Achieving the Functions of Signatures Online

by Jan Sundgren, March 4, 2002

An ink-on-paper signature serves three functions: It authenticates the individual, establishes intent and protects integrity. Electronic signatures need to address these functions, evaluating how suited the method is to the process.

Benefits of Electronic Signatures

by Jan Sundgren, February 26, 2002

By allowing an organization to eliminate or at least reduce the use of paper in business processes that require signatures, electronic signatures yield the obvious benefit of reducing outlays for paper and printing.

Electronic Signature Interoperability Is Limited

by Jan Sundgren, January 18, 2002

Electronic signature solutions can yield enormous benefits even without interoperability, but over time, a lack of interoperability could become a real nuisance.

Electronic Signatures: Technologies, Laws and Opportunities

by Jan Sundgren, October 10, 2001

Electronic signatures hold a great deal of promise and represent an immediate opportunity. The technologies are still evolving, but the capabilities are available to achieve in the electronic realm what handwritten signatures do in the physical world.

European vs. United States Smart Card Adoption Has Roots In Legislation

by Michael Rasmussen, August 30, 2001

The differences in law are especially apparent when it comes to the use of smart cards for authentication with digital signatures. EU legislation provides a framework, while US law is vague.

Electronic Signature Technology Is Feasible Now

by Jan Sundgren, August 28, 2001

Electronic signatures, like physical signatures, can be used in a variety of ways and some types of implementations can be easily deployed today.

EU Digital Signature Law: Business Action Required

by Andrew Parker, Julie Meringer, July 26, 2001

From July 19, 2001 the EU requires all member states to give legal recognition to electronic signatures. Good for starters. But to meet real security needs with workable technology, governments and businesses must cooperate in ongoing coregulation.

Electronic Signature Market Still Immature and Diverse

by Jan Sundgren, June 29, 2001

Given the range of solutions, be very clear on what you want from an electronic signature solution. For instance, do you need multiple signatures or time-stamping? How strong does signature nonrepudiation need to be?