III. Information about certificate-based e-Signature

Owned by Dennis Machowetz
Apr 27, 2022
2 min read

Non-binding rating system for certificates for the digital signature.

The certificate, which is deposited with the certificate-based e-signature of a webSignatureOffice user, also serves as a feature for identifying the signatory in the event of a dispute. It is therefore important for the recipient to know which identification feature the certificate was associated with when it was created. A certificate, which was raised for example by a letter identification, offers in case of dispute a substantially better possibility to identify the signer than a certificate, which was only linked with an e-mail address. The signature with a simple (weak) password is also more contestable in case of doubt than a signature with a secure (complex) password.

 

How is it rated?

WebSignatureOffice divides the value of the certificates used for the signature into three levels. The strength of the identification feature with which the person has identified himself to the system is taken into account.

 

  • No rating - e.g. to show how many levels are possible.

  • Simple certificate level with email verification.

  • Improved certificate level with e-mail verification and letter identification.

  • Highest certificate level with e-mail verification, letter identification and SMS identification.

 

 

For each upgrade of the certificate level you need to verify with a code. You will receive the code, depending on the certificate level, by email, letter or SMS.

To verify with your code please use: https://www.websignatureoffice.com/Verification.html

 

Please note:

The extent to which a certificate-based or handwritten e-signature is sufficient for your individual purposes from a legal point of view and whether you need the highest possible quality signature data requires your individual risk assessment.

Although most contracts are subject to contractual freedom, in some countries there are formal requirements that can only be met with a handwritten signature on paper or, if applicable, with a smart card-based qualified e-signature (in Germany this applies, for example, to credit contracts). You should, therefore enquire about the legal situation in your country and for your individual purpose.

Please understand that StepOver International GmbH cannot offer you such advice. In case of doubt, we recommend that you consult a competent lawyer.