Newsletter March 2012
Digital signatures have been available for more than 30 years. However, it has taken a long time before this technology has become an important part of critical business processes. The business world has definitely taken that hurdle now, as the success stories with Mobiliar and SwissLife show.
The 3‑Heights™ PDF Security Component simplifies the entry into the world of digital signatures and guarantees a smooth, robust operation. The component not only offers the correct signing of PDF/A compliant files, but can also create signatures for long-term storage. For the safe and effective signing of large volumes it can incorporate hardware security modules (HSM). In addition, the component can verify signatures for their validity.
Success story Swiss Life AG, Zurich, Switzerland
Swiss Life Archives documents from Microsoft SharePoint in PDF/A format including digital signature and time stamp
The Swiss Life Group is one of Europe’s leading providers of financial security solutions and life insurances. In the area of group insurance, the insurer administers a wide variety of Microsoft Office documents from daily business transactions for creating proposals and managing portfolios of collective contracts in Microsoft SharePoint. By changing from TIFF to a PDF/A conforming archive and handing over documents directly out of Microsoft SharePoint, Swiss Life’s intention is to make the documents text-searchable and, by means of a digital signature and time stamp, fulfill compliance requirements.
Success story Swiss Mobiliar Insurance and Pensions, Bern, Switzerland
Digitally signing of PDF/A documents via HSM at Swiss Mobiliar insurance
The customer signs his insurance application and returns it by mail to the insurer. The insurer converts the requests prior to archiving in PDF/A compliant, digitally signed documents. A function signature certificate under the Swiss law and an official time stamp is added to scanned documents. SafeNet’s LunaSA HSM produces the required safety and performance.