Just about the electronic signature. What is an electronic signature, why is it needed and what advantages does it give to business?

Learn in detail about what an electronic digital signature is, why businesses and ordinary citizens need it, where it is used, what advantages it has and what is the essence of using an electronic signature.

An electronic signature (ED or EDS) is a digital analogue of a person’s signature and a special detail of a document that certifies that it belongs to the owner of the signature.

An electronic document signed with an electronic signature has the same legal force as a traditional paper version. Digital details are obtained using cryptographic transformation of information.

Cryptographic transformation of information is the transformation of component parts of information (letters, numbers, words, symbols) into an unnatural form. This is done using a special algorithm. The converted text is impossible to read, as it resembles a collection of unrelated letters and numbers.

The method of cryptographic transformation of information is used to increase the level of security of data transmission and storage.

An electronic signature is used for:

  • monitoring the integrity of an electronic document;
  • confirmation of document authorship;
  • protecting a document from forgery or modification.

If changes are made to the document, the signature becomes invalid and the document loses its validity.

The owner of the signature is determined by a certificate - a document confirming that the signature verification key belongs to the owner of the certificate.

Any person can be the owner of the certificate. To obtain it, you just need to contact a certification center. It will give out 2 keys - public and private.

The public key is needed to verify the authenticity of the signature, and the private key is needed to generate a signature and sign an electronic document.

Types of electronic signature

There are three types of EP:

  1. Simple - the fact of signature formation is determined through the use of special passwords and codes.
  2. Strengthened unqualified - ES is created using cryptographic transformation of information and using a private key.
  3. Enhanced qualified – differs from unqualified by the presence of cryptographic protection.

According to the law of most countries, including the CIS, an electronic signature has the same legal force as simply a person’s signature with a seal.

Areas of application of electronic digital signature

Electronic document flow between legal entities and individuals

Digital signatures are used in various areas of business in the B2B and B2C segments for the exchange of documents. An electronic signature allows you to confirm the authenticity and legal force of a document and send it, via email or program, to a client, buyer or company division located in another city or country.

Using an electronic signature allows you to instantly sign and transmit finished documents to inspection authorities.

Individuals can use electronic signatures to certify the authenticity of documents, remotely sign contracts or work acceptance certificates.

Electronic reporting

EDS is used to submit reports in electronic format to the tax office, Federal Tax Service, Social Insurance Fund and other regulatory authorities. For example, in Belarus, since 2015, individual entrepreneurs have been actively transferring to electronic declaration. For this purpose, the taxpayer is issued special software and a key on removable media.

Arbitrage practice

In the process of disagreements between companies, documents certified by an electronic signature can be used as evidence in an arbitration court.

Internet bidding

For wholesale purchases or sales of goods, suppliers and buyers can sign any electronic signature documents. This signature is now actively used on government and commercial online trading platforms.

Government services

Anyone can obtain an electronic signature for signing applications, letters, documents and contracts.

When applying electronically to a government agency, by submitting a document signed by electronic signature, a person receives a response about acceptance of the application also with an electronic signature, which provides certain guarantees - the document has been officially accepted and will be considered.

Advantages of electronic document management with digital signature

Electronic document management has many advantages compared to the paper version.

The main advantages are:

  • Fast delivery of documents.
  • Reducing costs for preparing and sending documents.
  • Acceleration of business processes.
  • Guarantees that the document will not get lost in the mail.
  • Possibility of automating documentation processing.

Electronic documents are transferred between counterparties almost instantly, because e-mail is mainly used.

Organizations process electronic documents much faster, and accordingly receive money in the shortest possible time and have the opportunity to increase earnings by reducing the time spent on preparing and delivering documents.

If an organization is constantly faced with a large flow of documents, then electronic document management allows you to automate most of the processes for processing contracts, acts, reports, etc.

The use of electronic documentation for reporting simplifies the life of companies and entrepreneurs. There is no need to personally go to the regulatory authority - you can simply send the document through special software or by e-mail.

“A document comes to me for approval using the electronic document management system. I insert a medium into the computer (flash drive - author's note) with my electronic digital signature. You are prompted to enter a password. I enter it and sign the document. That’s it, the document has been approved.”

Valery Sabatovich – Deputy Head of the Republican Unitary Enterprise “National Center for Electronic Services”

An electronic signature simplifies a number of procedures related to document flow. Therefore, it is already actively used in business and government agencies. It is not yet popular among citizens. Mainly due to poor awareness of people about the availability and possibility of using such a signature.

Many of those who constantly interact with electronic document management have probably come across such a concept as an electronic signature. Nevertheless, for most people this term remains unfamiliar, but those who managed to try this tool were not disappointed. In simple terms, an electronic signature is an analogue of a handwritten signature. This method is often used when working with electronic documents, regardless of the field of activity. Let's take a closer look at what it is, what it is used for and how to obtain an electronic signature key.

Why do you need an electronic signature?

People who have not yet had time to get acquainted with this tool have logical questions about why, in general, an electronic digital signature is needed, when you can simply print out a document on a printer, endorse it and put the usual stamp?

So, there are a number of reasons why an electronic signature is more valuable than a real one. Let's look at them in more detail:

1. Electronic document management. In the conditions of modern computerization, there is no longer a need to save documents in paper form, as was done before. Now all government organizations recognize the legal validity and convenience of electronic documents for several reasons:

  • they don't take up space;
  • stored securely;
  • the process of information exchange is greatly simplified and so on.

In inter-corporate document circulation, an electronic signature has no analogues at all, since it completely solves the issue of travel for the purpose of signing documentation in subsidiaries. Access from a computer to documents of the merged companies is provided through an electronic signature, which is a guarantee of authenticity and also facilitates communication between managers.

2. Reporting. Documentation supported by an electronic signature has legal force, which means there is no need to send a courier or transport the documents yourself, you just need to open the document with the report, attach the digital signature and send it to the recipient by email. All actions will take only a few minutes.

3. Government services. The main advantage is that you don’t have to waste time in long lines. An individual can simply enter an electronic signature on a universal electronic card (UEC), which already contains all the important data.

4. Online bidding. In this situation, the digital signature guarantees that a real person takes part in the auction, who bears a material obligation for non-compliance with the terms of the contract.

5. Arbitration court. Electronic documents supported by electronic signatures are recognized as full-fledged evidence.

6. Transfer of documentation. This option is especially useful for legal entities, because it gives the right to:

  • Enter electronic reporting into the company, thus exchanging documents between departments, structures and other cities.
  • Draw up and sign legally binding agreements with partners from other cities and countries.
  • Provide evidence in court proceedings electronically, without personal presence.
  • Send reports to government agencies without leaving your office.
  • Receive services from the state by confirming your right to them with an electronic document.

Heads of organizations with a built-in electronic document management system are forever freed from questions about processing and storing folders with important papers. Are you thinking about how to get an electronic signature key certificate now? You will find the answer to this and many other pressing questions below.

How it works?

The qualified type of electronic key is the most common, since the principle of its operation is extremely simple - the digital signature is registered in the Certification Center, where its electronic copy is stored.

Don't know how to get an electronic signature verification key certificate? A copy is sent to partners, and only the owner company has access to the original key certificate.

Having received the electronic key, the owner installs a special program on the computer that generates a signature, which is a block with the following data:

  • Date the document was signed.
  • Information about the person who signed.
  • Key ID.

After receiving the documentation, partners must receive a qualified electronic signature verification key certificate to carry out the decryption process, that is, authentication control. The digital signature certificate is valid for one year and contains the following information:

  • License plate.
  • Validity.
  • Information about registration with the Certification Center (CA).
  • Data about the user and the CA where it was manufactured.
  • List of industries where it can be used.
  • Authenticity guaranteed.

It is almost impossible to forge a digital signature, for this reason it is unrealistic to insure it against falsification. All processes using keys are carried out exclusively within the program, whose original interface helps in the implementation of electronic document management.

The procedure for obtaining an electronic signature. Step-by-step instruction

Having studied all the advantages of an electronic signature, you decided to get it. Wonderful! But here the question arises: how to obtain an electronic signature key? The answer to this can be found in the detailed step-by-step instructions presented below.

  1. Selecting the digital signature type.
  2. Selection of a certification organization.
  3. Filling out an application for the production of an electronic signature.
  4. Payment by invoice after the application is confirmed.
  5. Preparation of a set of documents.
  6. Obtaining a digital signature. You must come to the certification center with the original documents (or photocopies certified by a notary) that are required to issue an electronic signature, with a receipt for payment of the invoice; in addition, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs should have a stamp with them.

The obtaining process itself is very simple, however, in some situations, obtaining an electronic signature may be refused, for example, the application contains erroneous data or an incomplete package of documents is provided. In such cases, errors should be corrected and the application resubmitted.

Step 1. Selecting the type of digital signature

Don't know how to get an unqualified electronic signature key? First of all, you should understand the types of digital signatures, of which, in accordance with federal law, there are several:

  1. Simple. It contains information about the owner of the signature so that the recipient of the documentation can understand who the sender is. Such a signature is not protected against forgery.
  2. Reinforced. It is also divided into subspecies:
  • Unqualified - contains information not only about the sender, but also about amendments made after signing.
  • Qualified is the most reliable type of signature. It is highly secure and also has legal force and is 100% equivalent to a handwritten signature. A qualified signature is issued exclusively in organizations accredited by the FSB.

Most customers apply for a qualified signature, which is understandable, since electronic signatures are hunted by scammers of various categories, as well as other keys that provide access to personal information and financial-related transactions.

Step 2. Certification authority

Don't know where to get an electronic signature key? In a certification center, this is an institution engaged in the production and issuance of electronic digital signatures. Now there are more than a hundred similar centers operating in Russia.

Step 3. Completing the application

The online application will save personal time, and it contains a minimum amount of information: initials, contact telephone number and email address. After sending, you will receive a call from a certification center employee within an hour to clarify the entered data. During the conversation, he will be able to answer all your questions and advise on the types of electronic digital signatures.

Step 4. Payment

Don't know how to get an electronic signature key? First, you need to pay the invoice, this is done before receiving the digital signature. Immediately after confirming the application and agreeing on the nuances with the client, an invoice is issued in his name. The cost of a digital signature varies depending on the chosen organization, area of ​​residence and type of signature. Price includes:

  • Generating a signing key certificate.
  • Software that is required to generate signatures and send documentation.
  • Technical support.

The cost of a digital signature starts from 1,500 rubles, the average ranges from 5 to 7 thousand rubles. When ordering a large number of signatures, for example, for the entire organization, the minimum cost may be lower.

Step 5. Preparing documentation

Don’t know how to get an electronic signature key for an individual entrepreneur? The list of documents for different categories of citizens differs significantly: an individual, a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur, therefore, we will analyze the package of documents required to obtain an electronic signature separately for each group.

Legal entities

  • Original passport of the general director.
  • Photocopy of pages 2 and 3 in 1 copy.
  • OGRN certificate.
  • Documents on the establishment of the organization (Charter or constituent agreement).
  • SNILS.
  • An extract from the unified state register of legal entities (the form must have the seal of the Federal Tax Service, as well as the signature, surname and position of the department employee).

Individual entrepreneurs

In order to obtain an electronic signature key for the tax office, an individual entrepreneur must provide the following set of documents:

  • Original passport.
  • Copy of pages 2 and 3 in the passport - 1 copy.
  • A photocopy of the document on state registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur - 1 copy.
  • SNILS.
  • A photocopy of the document on registration with a tax organization - 1 copy.
  • An extract from the Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs, certified by a notary (the issuance period should not exceed 30 days).
  • Application for production of digital signature.
  • Application for accession to the Regulations of the Certification Authority.
  • Consent to the processing of the applicant’s personal information.

If you have a power of attorney and a passport, the digital signature of an individual entrepreneur can be taken by his authorized representative.

Individuals

How to obtain an electronic signature key for a tax office for an individual? First of all, you should prepare the following documents:

  • Citizen's passport.
  • SNILS.
  • Application for the production of an electronic signature.

Step 6. Obtaining a digital signature: the final stage

And finally, we come to the last question: where to get an electronic signature key for government services and other services? This can be done at special delivery points located throughout Russia. Detailed information about certification centers is located on the official website of the organization, in a special section. In general, the period for obtaining a digital signature does not exceed three days.

There may be delay on the part of the applicant due to late payment of the invoice or errors in the documentation.

Important! Pay great attention to the extract from the unified state register of legal entities and individuals, since the process of preparing the document takes 5 working days!

Now you know where and how to get an electronic signature key. The registration process is quite simple, and with proper preparation it will take very little time.

Algorithms), real time clock. Hardware dongles can come in a variety of form factors, but most often they connect to a computer via USB. Also found with LPT or PCMCIA interfaces.

Operating principle of electronic keys. The key is attached to a specific computer interface. Next, the protected program sends it information through a special driver, which is processed in accordance with a given algorithm and returned back. If the key's answer is correct, then the program continues its work. Otherwise, it may perform actions specified by the developers, for example, switching to demo mode, blocking access to certain functions.

There are special keys that can license (limit the number of program copies running on the network) of a protected application over the network. In this case, one key is enough for the entire local network. The key is installed on any workstation or server on the network. Protected applications access the key over the local network. The advantage is that they do not need to carry an electronic key with them to work with the application within the local network.

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Story

Protecting software from unlicensed use increases the developer's profit. Today, there are several approaches to solving this problem. The vast majority of software creators use various software modules that control user access using activation keys, serial numbers, etc. Such protection is a cheap solution and cannot claim to be reliable. The Internet is replete with programs that allow you to illegally generate an activation key (key generators) or block a request for a serial number/activation key (patches, cracks). In addition, one should not neglect the fact that the legal user himself can make his serial number public.

These obvious shortcomings led to the creation of hardware-based software protection in the form of an electronic key. It is known that the first electronic keys (that is, hardware devices to protect software from illegal copying) appeared in the early 1980s, but for obvious reasons, primacy in the idea and direct creation of the device is very difficult to establish.

Software protection using an electronic key

Software Development Kit

Dongles are classified as hardware methods of software protection, but modern electronic dongles are often defined as multi-platform hardware and software tool systems for software protection. The fact is that in addition to the key itself, companies that produce electronic keys provide an SDK (Software Developer Kit). The SDK includes everything you need to start using the presented technology in your own software products - development tools, complete technical documentation, support for various operating systems, detailed examples, code snippets, tools for automatic protection. The SDK may also include demo keys for building test projects.

Protection technology

The technology for protecting against unauthorized use of software is based on implementing requests from an executable file or dynamic library to a key, followed by receiving and, if provided, analyzing the response. Here are some typical queries:

  • checking whether the key is connected;
  • reading the data needed by the program from the key as a startup parameter (used mainly only when searching for a suitable key, but not for protection);
  • a request to decrypt data or executable code necessary for the operation of the program, encrypted when protecting the program (allows for “comparison with the standard”; in the case of code encryption, execution of undecrypted code leads to an error);
  • a request to decrypt data previously encrypted by the program itself (allows you to send different requests to the key each time and, thereby, protect yourself from emulation of API libraries / the key itself)
  • checking the integrity of the executable code by comparing its current checksum with the original checksum read from the key (for example, by executing the digital signature of the code or other transmitted data by the key algorithm and checking this digital signature inside the application; since the digital signature is always different - a feature of the cryptographic algorithm - this also helps protect against API/key emulation);
  • a request to the real-time clock built into the key (if available; can be carried out automatically if the operating time of the key’s hardware algorithms is limited by its internal timer);
  • etc.

It is worth noting that some modern keys (Guardant Code from the Aktiv Company, LOCK from Astroma Ltd., Rockey6 Smart from Feitian, Senselock from Seculab) allow the developer to store his own algorithms or even separate parts of the application code (for example, specific developer algorithms that receive there are a large number of parameters to the input) and perform them in the very key on his own microprocessor. In addition to protecting software from illegal use, this approach allows you to protect the algorithm used in the program from being studied, cloned, and used in your applications by competitors. However, for a simple algorithm (and developers often make the mistake of choosing an algorithm that is not complex enough to load), cryptanalysis can be carried out using the black box analysis method.

As follows from the above, the “heart” of the electronic key is the conversion algorithm (cryptographic or other). In modern keys, it is implemented in hardware - this practically eliminates the creation of a full key emulator, since the encryption key is never transmitted to the dongle output, which eliminates the possibility of its interception.

The encryption algorithm can be secret or public. Secret algorithms are developed by the manufacturer of security equipment itself, including individually for each customer. The main disadvantage of using such algorithms is the impossibility of assessing cryptographic strength. It was possible to say with confidence how reliable the algorithm was only after the fact: it was hacked or not. A public algorithm, or “open source,” has incomparably greater cryptographic strength. Such algorithms are not tested by random people, but by a number of experts specializing in cryptography analysis. Examples of such algorithms are the widely used GOST 28147-89, AES, RSA, Elgamal, etc.

Automated protection

For most families of hardware keys, automatic tools (included in the SDK) have been developed that allow you to protect the program “in a few mouse clicks.” In this case, the application file is “wrapped” in the developer’s own code. The functionality implemented by this code varies depending on the manufacturer, but most often the code checks for the presence of a key, controls the licensing policy (set by the software supplier), implements a mechanism to protect the executable file from debugging and decompilation (for example, compressing the executable file), etc.

The important thing is that using the automatic protection tool does not require access to the application source code. For example, when localizing foreign products (when there is no possibility of interfering with the software source code), such a protection mechanism is indispensable, but it doesn't allow use the full potential of electronic keys and implement flexible and individual protection.

Implementing protection using API functions

In addition to using automatic protection, the software developer is given the opportunity to independently develop protection by integrating the protection system into the application at the source code level. For this purpose, the SDK includes libraries for various programming languages ​​containing a description of the API functionality for a given key. The API is a set of functions designed to exchange data between the application, the system driver (and the server in the case of network keys) and the key itself. API functions provide various operations with the key: searching, reading and writing memory, encrypting and decrypting data using hardware algorithms, licensing network software, etc.

Skillful application of this method ensures a high level of application security. It is quite difficult to neutralize the protection built into the application due to its uniqueness and “fuzzy” nature in the body of the program. The very need to study and modify the executable code of a protected application to bypass the protection is a serious obstacle to hacking it. Therefore, the task of the security developer, first of all, is to protect against possible automated hacking methods by implementing its own protection using the key management API.

Bypass protection

There is no information about full emulation of modern Guardant keys. Existing table emulators are implemented only for specific applications. The possibility of their creation was due to the non-use (or illiterate use) of the basic functionality of electronic keys by security developers.

There is also no information about full or at least partial emulation of LOCK keys, or about any other ways to bypass this protection.

Hacking a software module

The attacker examines the logic of the program itself in order to, after analyzing the entire application code, select a protection block and deactivate it. Hacking of programs is carried out using debugging (or step-by-step execution), decompilation and RAM dump. These methods of analyzing executable program code are most often used by attackers in combination.

Debugging is carried out using a special program - a debugger, which allows you to execute any application step by step, emulating the operating environment for it. An important feature of the debugger is the ability to install stopping points (or conditions) code execution. Using them, it is easier for an attacker to track places in the code in which access to the key is implemented (for example, stopping execution on a message like “The key is missing! Check for the presence of the key in the USB interface”).

Disassembly- a method of converting the code of executable modules into a programming language understandable to humans - Assembler. In this case, the attacker gets a printout (listing) of what the application does.

Decompilation- converting the application's executable module into program code in a high-level language and obtaining a representation of the application close to the source code. Can be carried out only for some programming languages ​​(in particular, for .NET applications created in C# and distributed in bytecode - a relatively high-level interpreted language).

The essence of the attack using memory dump consists of reading the contents of RAM at the moment when the application begins to execute normally. As a result, the attacker receives the working code (or the part of interest) in its “pure form” (if, for example, the application code was encrypted and is only partially decrypted during the execution of one or another section). The main thing for an attacker is to choose the right moment.

Note that there are many ways to counteract debugging, and security developers use them: non-linearity of the code (multi-threading), non-deterministic sequence of execution, “littering” the code (with useless functions that perform complex operations in order to confuse the attacker), using the imperfections of the debuggers themselves and etc.

Good afternoon, dear readers! This article is dedicated to business owners, regardless of its size and organizational form, and ordinary citizens of our country. It will be equally useful and interesting for both simple individual entrepreneurs and owners of large commercial enterprises. What do they have in common? The answer is simple - document flow and the need to interact with various government agencies! Therefore, let's talk about a tool that will significantly simplify the flow of documentation, both within the enterprise and outside it! Today we will look in detail at how to obtain an electronic signature (EDS)!

Let's start with the essence of an electronic signature and the mechanism of its functioning, then consider the scope and unconditional usefulness, after which we will discuss how to obtain it for individuals, individual entrepreneurs and legal entities, and also talk about the necessary documents. We have collected the most complete information on how to obtain an electronic signature! By the way, if necessary, you can use it to close an individual entrepreneur. The article describes how to do this!

What is an electronic digital signature: the simple essence of a complex concept!

Every document at the enterprise must be signed by an authorized person. The signature gives it legal force. Modern technologies have transferred document flow to electronic format. Which turned out to be extremely convenient! Firstly, electronic documents have simplified and accelerated the exchange of data within an enterprise (especially with international cooperation). Secondly, the costs associated with their turnover have decreased. Thirdly, the security of commercial information has significantly increased. Despite the electronic format, each document must be signed, which is why an electronic digital signature was developed.

What is an electronic digital signature? This is an analogue of traditional painting in digital format, which is used to give legal force to documents on electronic media. The word “analogue” should be understood as a sequence of cryptographic symbols randomly generated using special software. It is stored on electronic media. Flash drives are commonly used.

There are two important concepts associated with electronic signature: certificate and key. A certificate is a document that certifies that an electronic signature belongs to a specific person. It can be regular or enhanced. The latter is issued only by some accredited certification centers or directly by the FSB.

The electronic signature key is the same sequence of characters. Keys are used in pairs. The first is the signature, and the second is the verification key that certifies its authenticity. For each new signed document, a new unique key is generated. It is important to understand that the information received on a flash drive at the certification center is not an electronic signature - it is just a means for creating it.

A signature in electronic format has the same legal weight and force as under a paper document. Of course, if there were no violations when applying this parameter. If any inconsistency or any deviations from the norm are detected, the document will not become valid. The use of digital signatures is regulated by the state through two laws, Federal Law No. 1 and Federal Law No. 63. They affect all areas of application of a signature: in civil law relations, when interacting with municipal and state bodies.

How the idea of ​​using EPC came about: let's remember the past!

In 1976, two American cryptographers, Diffie and Hellman, proposed that electronic digital signatures could be created. It was just a theory, but it resonated with the public. As a result, already in 1977 the RSA cryptographic algorithm saw the light of day, which made it possible to create the first electronic signatures. Compared to the real ones, they were very primitive, but it was at that moment that the foundation was laid for the future rapid development of the industry and the widespread spread of electronic document management.

The millennium brought significant changes. The United States passed a law according to which a signature on paper was equal in legal force to an electronic one. This is how a new rapidly growing market segment emerged, the volume of which, according to American analysts, will amount to $30 billion by 2020.

In Russia, the first electronic devices began to be used only in 1994. The first law that regulated their use was adopted in 2002. However, it was distinguished by extremely vague formulations and ambiguity in the interpretation of terms. The law did not give a clear answer to the question of how to obtain an electronic signature and use it.

In 2010, a large-scale project was developed to create a virtual environment for the provision of public services in electronic format, which in August of the same year was submitted for consideration to the President of the Russian Federation. One of the key areas of the project is the possibility of using digital signatures. The regions were obliged to create conditions for free access of individuals and legal entities to the possibilities of electronic document management, so that everyone could receive an electronic document. Since then, the “electronic state” has been actively developing in Russia.

In 2011, the President obliged executive authorities to switch to electronic document management within their structures. By June of the same year, all officials were provided with digital signatures. The program was financed from the federal budget. In 2012, electronic document management began working in all executive authorities of the Russian Federation without exception.

After these transformations, two pressing issues arose. Firstly, the EP was not universal. For each purpose a new signature had to be obtained. Secondly, some crypto providers were not compatible with others, which put their clients in a difficult situation. Therefore, since 2012, a global process of unification in the field of electronic document management began. Thanks to this, we have modern universal signatures and software.

Digital signature: 5 advantages and 6 use cases!

Many entrepreneurs have not yet used EPC in their business activities. In many ways, the reason for this is elementary ignorance of all its capabilities and advantages. By using the electronic format to sign documents, business entities (individual entrepreneurs, legal entities) receive the following benefits:

  1. Documents are maximally protected from falsification.

Since the computer is very difficult to deceive. In this case, the human factor is completely excluded. After all, you may simply not notice that the signature under the document differs from the original one. It is impossible to forge an electronic signature. This requires very large computing power, which is almost impossible to implement at the current level of device development, and a lot of time.

  1. Optimization, acceleration and simplification of document flow.

Completely eliminates the possibility of data leakage or loss of important papers. Any copy certified by an electronic identifier is guaranteed to be received by the addressee in the sent form: no extraordinary circumstances can cause its damage.

  1. Reduce costs by eliminating paper media.

For small companies, maintaining paper documentation was not burdensome, but this cannot be said about large enterprises. Many of them had to rent separate premises and warehouses for storing documents for 5 years. In addition to the costs of paper, printers, ink, and office supplies, rent was also added! In addition, depending on the field of activity, some companies could reduce costs by reducing the number of employees who dealt with documents: receiving, processing, etc. The need to recycle paper also disappeared: for certain types of organizations whose activities are related to confidential information, even this line of expenses turned out to be significant. The process of destroying documents under digital signature is a few clicks of a computer mouse.

  1. The format of documents signed by electronic signatures fully complies with international requirements.
  2. There is no need to obtain a separate signature to participate in tenders or submit reports to regulatory authorities.

You can obtain an electronic signature, which will allow you to use it on all necessary sites.

Before we move on to the question of how to obtain an electronic signature, we list all the possible options for its use:

  1. Internal document flow. Involves the movement of commercial information, orders, instructions, etc. inside the company.
  2. External document flow. We are talking about the exchange of documents between two partner organizations in the B2B system or between an enterprise and a B2C client.
  3. Submitting reports to regulatory authorities:
  • Federal Tax Service,
  • Pension Fund,
  • Social Security Fund,
  • Customs service,
  • Rosalkogolregulirovanie,
  • Rosfinmonitoring and others.
  1. To gain access to the Client-Bank system.
  2. To participate in auctions and trades.
  3. To receive government services:
  • State Services website,
  • RosPatent,
  • Rosreestr.

How to get an electronic signature: step-by-step instructions!

Having assessed all the advantages of using an electronic signature, you decided to get one. And, of course, we were faced with a logical question: how to do this? We will answer this question with detailed step-by-step instructions that will help you quickly and easily obtain an electronic signature!

In total you will have to go through 6 steps.

Step 1. Selecting the type of electronic signature.

Step 2. Selecting a certification authority.

Step 3. Filling out the application.

Step 4. Payment of the invoice.

Step 5. Collecting a package of documents.

Step 6. Obtaining an electronic signature.

Now let's talk about each step in more detail!

Step 1. Choosing a type: everyone likes their own!

The first step to obtaining an electronic signature is choosing its type. According to federal laws, the following types of digital signatures are distinguished:

  1. Simple. It encodes information about the owner of the signature so that the recipient of the paper is convinced who the sender is. It does not protect against counterfeiting.
  2. Reinforced:
  • unqualified - confirms not only the identity of the sender, but also the fact that no changes were made to the document after signing.
  • qualified – the most secure signature, the legal force of which is 100% equivalent to that of an ordinary signature! It is issued only in those centers that are accredited by the FSB.

Recently, more and more customers want to receive an enhanced qualified signature, which is quite reasonable. Like any other “keys” that provide access to private information or financial transactions, digital signatures are hunted by fraudsters of various categories. Analysts believe that over the next 10 years the first two species will simply become obsolete. The choice depends on the use case for the digital signature. To make it easier to make a decision, we have compiled the data in a table; it will help you make a choice and settle on a specific necessary and sufficient form.

Scope of application Simple Unskilled Qualified
Internal document flow + + +
External document flow + + +
Arbitration court + + +
State Services website + - +
Supervisory authorities - - +
Electronic auctions - - +

If you are going to obtain an electronic digital signature for the convenience of filing reports, you will have to submit an application for a qualified one. If the goal is document flow at the enterprise, then it is enough to obtain a simple or unqualified signature.

Step 2. Certification center: TOP 7 largest and most reliable companies!

A certification center is an organization whose purpose is to generate and issue electronic digital signatures. A CA is a legal entity whose charter specifies the corresponding type of activity. Their functions include:

  • issuance of digital signature;
  • providing a public key to everyone;
  • blocking an electronic signature if there is a suspicion of its unreliability;
  • confirmation of the authenticity of the signature;
  • mediation in case of conflict situations;
  • supplying clients with all necessary software;
  • technical support.

At the moment, there are about a hundred such centers operating in the Russian Federation. But there are only seven industry leaders:

  1. EETP is the leader of the electronic trading market in the Russian Federation. The company's activities are highly diversified, which does not prevent it from occupying leading positions in each segment. In addition to organizing and conducting auctions, she is engaged in the sale of property that is not selling well, teaches the specifics of participating in auctions, and generates and sells digital signatures.
  2. Electronic Express is the official operator of electronic document management of the Federal Tax Service. Has a full set of licenses (including the FSB license).
  3. Taxnet – develops software for electronic document management. Including the creation and implementation of digital signatures.
  4. Sertum-Pro Kontur is a company that deals with electronic signature certificates. In addition, it offers many convenient additional services for its clients, which will significantly expand the capabilities of the electronic signature.
  5. Taxkom - the company specializes in external and internal document flow of companies and reporting to various regulatory authorities. For this purpose, appropriate software is developed and electronic signatures are created. It is on the list of official data operators for cash register equipment.
  6. The Tensor company is a giant in the world of document flow over telecommunication networks. Provides a full range of services: from the development of complexes for automating the workflow at enterprises to the creation and implementation of electronic signatures.
  7. National Certification Center - develops and sells various digital signature certificates, offers clients software for generating and submitting reports to all government bodies.

Choose a CA depending on your capabilities and location. It is important to check whether there is a point for issuing ready-made electronic signatures in your city. This is quite easy to find out by visiting the official websites of the companies.

If for some reason you are not satisfied with the centers from our TOP-7 list, then you can use the services of other companies. A complete list of accredited CAs can be found on the website www.minsvyaz.ru in the “Important” section.

Step 3. How to get an electronic signature: fill out the application!

The choice has been made, now you know exactly what you want, so it’s time to submit an application to the certification center. This can be done in two ways: by visiting the company’s office or filling out an application on its website.

Remote submission of an application will save you from a personal visit. The application contains a minimum of information: full name, contact phone number and email. Within an hour after sending, a CA employee will call you back and clarify the necessary information. In addition, he will answer all the questions that interest you and advise you on what type of digital signature to choose for your case.

Step 4. Pay the bill: money up front!

You will have to pay for the service before receiving it. That is, immediately after accepting the application and agreeing on the details with the client, an invoice will be issued in his name. The cost of digital signature varies depending on the company you contacted, region of residence and type of signature. It includes:

  • generating a signature key certificate,
  • software necessary for creating, signing and sending documents,
  • technical customer support.

The minimum price is about 1500 rubles. Average 5,000 – 7,000 rubles. The cost of one electronic signature may be less than 1,500 rubles only if signatures are ordered for a large number of employees of one enterprise.

Step 5. Documents for obtaining digital signature: we create a package!

When preparing a package of documents, it is essential which subject of civil law acts as the customer: an individual, a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur. Therefore, we will consider documents for obtaining an electronic signature separately for each category.

Individuals must provide:

  • statement,
  • passport plus copies,
  • individual taxpayer number,
  • SNILS.
  • Receipt of payment.

An authorized representative of the recipient of the electronic signature can submit documents to the CA. To do this you need to issue a power of attorney.

To obtain an electronic signature, a legal entity will have to prepare:

  1. Statement.
  2. Two certificates of state registration: with OGRN and TIN.
  3. Extract from the register of legal entities. Important! The extract must be “fresh”. Each certification authority has its own requirements in this regard.
  4. Passport plus a copy of the person who will use the electronic signature.
  5. SNILS of the employee who will use the digital signature.
  6. If the signature is issued for the director, then an order of appointment must be attached.
  7. For employees who are lower in the company's hierarchical ladder, you will have to issue a power of attorney for the right to use the electronic signature.
  8. Receipt of payment.

Documents for obtaining digital signature by individual entrepreneurs:

  1. Statement.
  2. Certificate of registration with OGRNIP number.
  3. Certificate with TIN.
  4. An extract from the register of entrepreneurs, issued no earlier than 6 months ago, or a copy certified by a notary.
  5. Passport.
  6. SNILS.
  7. Receipt of payment.

An authorized representative of an individual entrepreneur can pick up an electronic digital signature if he has a power of attorney and a passport. When submitting an application electronically, documents are sent to the CA by mail, and when visiting in person, they are submitted simultaneously with the application.

Step 6. Getting a digital signature: the finish line!

You can obtain documents at numerous issuing points located throughout the country. Information about them can be found on the official website of the CA. Typically, the time frame for receiving a signature does not exceed two to three days.

Delay is possible only on the part of the customer who did not pay for the services of the certification center on time or did not collect all the necessary documents. Please note that you need to receive an extract from the unified state register of individual entrepreneurs or legal entities on time, as this process takes 5 working days! Some CAs provide the service of urgent issuance of digital signatures. Then the whole procedure takes about one hour. Now you know how to get an electronic signature.

Important! The electronic signature is valid for one year from the date of its receipt. After this period, you will need to renew it or get a new one.

Do-it-yourself digital signature: the impossible is possible!

In fact, creating an electronic signature yourself is quite possible. If you have the appropriate education, thoroughly understand what an electronic digital signature is and have invincible enthusiasm. However, do not forget that you will not only have to generate a cryptographic sequence, you also need to develop and write the corresponding software. A natural question arises: why do this? Moreover, the market is replete with ready-made solutions! For large companies, it is also not profitable to “tinker” with the independent development of electronic signatures, since they will have to hire new employees in the IT department. And in the article

In pulsed devices you can often find transistor switches. Transistor switches are present in flip-flops, switches, multivibrators, blocking oscillators and other electronic circuits. In each circuit, the transistor switch performs its own function, and depending on the operating mode of the transistor, the key circuit as a whole may change, but the basic circuit diagram of the transistor switch is as follows:

There are several main modes of operation of the transistor switch: normal active mode, saturation mode, cut-off mode and active inverse mode. Although a transistor switch circuit is in principle a common-emitter transistor amplifier circuit, its functions and modes differ from a typical amplifier stage.

In key applications, the transistor serves as a high-speed switch, and the main static states are two: the transistor is off and the transistor is on. The locked state is an open state when the transistor is in cutoff mode. Closed state - the state of transistor saturation, or a state close to saturation, in this state the transistor is open. When a transistor switches from one state to another, this is an active mode in which the processes in the cascade proceed nonlinearly.


Static states are described in accordance with the static characteristics of the transistor. There are two characteristics: the output family - the dependence of the collector current on the collector-emitter voltage and the input family - the dependence of the base current on the base-emitter voltage.

The cutoff mode is characterized by a bias of both p-n junctions of the transistor in the opposite direction, and there is a deep cutoff and a shallow cutoff. Deep cutoff is when the voltage applied to the transitions is 3-5 times higher than the threshold and has the opposite polarity to the working one. In this state, the transistor is open, and the currents of its electrodes are extremely small.

With a shallow cutoff, the voltage applied to one of the electrodes is lower, and the electrode currents are higher than with a deep cutoff; as a result, the currents already depend on the applied voltage in accordance with the lower curve of the family of output characteristics, this curve is called the “cutoff characteristic” .

As an example, we will carry out a simplified calculation for the key mode of a transistor that will operate on a resistive load. The transistor will remain for a long time in only one of two main states: completely open (saturation) or completely closed (cutoff).


Let the load of the transistor be the winding of the SRD-12VDC-SL-C relay, the coil resistance of which at a nominal 12 V will be 400 Ohms. Let's neglect the inductive nature of the relay winding, let the developers provide a snubber to protect against surges in transient mode, but we will carry out the calculation based on the fact that the relay will be turned on once and for a very long time. We find the collector current using the formula:

Iк = (Upit-Ukenas) / Rн.

Where: Ik - direct collector current; Upit - supply voltage (12 volts); Ukanas - saturation voltage of the bipolar transistor (0.5 volts); Rн - load resistance (400 Ohm).

We get Ik = (12-0.5) / 400 = 0.02875 A = 28.7 mA.

To be sure, let’s take a transistor with a margin for the maximum current and maximum voltage. The BD139 in the SOT-32 package is suitable. This transistor has parameters Ikmax = 1.5 A, Ukemax = 80 V. There will be a good margin.

To provide 28.7 mA of collector current, a corresponding base current must be provided. The base current is determined by the formula: Ib = Ik / h21e, where h21e is the static current transfer coefficient.

Modern multimeters allow you to measure this parameter, and in our case it was 50. This means Ib = 0.0287 / 50 = 574 µA. If the value of the coefficient h21e is unknown, for reliability you can take the minimum from the documentation for a given transistor.

To determine the required value of the base resistor. The base-emitter saturation voltage is 1 volt. This means that if control is carried out by a signal from the output of a logic chip, the voltage of which is 5 V, then to provide the required base current of 574 μA, with a drop of 1 V at the transition, we obtain:

R1 = (Uin-Ubenas) / Ib = (5-1) / 0.000574 = 6968 Ohm

Let's choose a 6.8 kOhm resistor from the standard series to the smaller side (so that there is definitely enough current).

BUT, in order for the transistor to switch faster and for the operation to be reliable, we will use an additional resistor R2 between the base and emitter, and some power will drop across it, which means it is necessary to lower the resistance of resistor R1. Let's take R2 = 6.8 kOhm and adjust the value of R1:

R1 = (Uin-Ubenas) / (Ib+I (through resistor R2) = (Uin-Ubenas) / (Ib+Ubenas/R2)

R1 = (5-1) / (0.000574+1/6800) = 5547 Ohms.

Let R1 = 5.1 kOhm and R2 = 6.8 kOhm.

Let's calculate the losses on the switch: P = Ik * Ukenas = 0.0287 * 0.5 = 0.014 W. The transistor does not require a heatsink.