Use this version. Email this to a friend. Amid the drive to put more government services on the Internet, federalofficials are urging agencies to secure information systems and are providingthe technical and legal tools to help.
Digital certificates are the basis of the ACES contract.
The certificatesoffer an added level of security to the passwords and personal identificationnumbers that agencies use now. They have encryption capabilities and holdelectronic signatures that authenticate a user's identity. But agencies have been uncertain whether they need digital certificatesin the first place, said Richard Guida, chairman of the Federal PKI SteeringCommittee. If you're notcertain if this is your cup of tea, write down what your needs are and letGSA and the vendors help decide if it's your cup of tea. Another agency concern is the perception that electronic signaturesdo not have the same legal authority as paper signatures.