Digital certificates

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What is a digital certificate?

The digital certificate is like an electronic passport, which is used in order to secure the reliability of the communication. According to Bulgarian laws the communication, which uses a digital certificate, equals the signature placed on a paper carrier.
The digital certificate is an electronic document, which contains unique details regarding its owner such as address, e-mail and the so-called keys.

Each certificate includes two “keys":

  • public key – its distribution is free and it is used for encrypting of information, which after that can be encrypted only by a personal key
  • personal key – a long succession of symbols, which is kept in an encrypted file. Its writing or typing is not necessary, which makes it even safer. The personal key has just a single owner and is not distributed. It is used for de-encrypting of information, which has been encrypted by the respective public key.

The personal key can also be used for signing of different notifications. In such cases the respective public key should be used for the sake of verification of the signature.

What is the purpose of the digital certificate?

The purpose of the digital certificate is confidentiality of the information, which has passed through the Internet or through some other public networks. It undoubtedly shows who the sender of the message is.
Digital certificates are far more secure than username and password. The customer should know not only the password of the digital certificate but also the personal key. Within the e-Banking system the digital certificates are used for identification of the “signing party" of the active operations because without them payment orders and other active operations cannot be issued.

Two types of digital certificates can be used in e- Postbank:

1. Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)

QES is a digital certificate issued by licensed Providers of certification services according to the provisions of the Electronic Document and Electronic Signature Act. Eurobank recommends you to use Universal Electronic Signature.

2. Certificates issued by Postbank’s e-Banking

Postbank issues certificates, which are valid only within the e-Banking system. They cannot be used in other systems and they are absolutely free of charge.
Please inform the bank immediately in case your certificate is lost or compromised.

The author of the Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) has to be the person registered as a user in e-postbank.bg.

Registering QES for working in e-Postbank.bg :

1. Install QES and the appertaining software on your computer, pursuant to the issuer’s instructions
2. Register QES in e-Postbank.bg Security , tab Certificates - Register QES :

Registering QES in e-Postbank.bg can be done as a one-off, for the period of its validity.
You can use it on more than one computer after you have installed it pursuant to the issuer’s instructions.

To stop the use of your QES in e-Postbank you are required to complete and register with a Bank branch the relevant form prescribed by the Bank.

You can buy Qualified Electronic Signature from the following providers of identification services:

Certification service provider Website
INFORMATION SERVICES AD http://www.stampit.org/
BANKSERVICE AD http://www.b-trust.org/
INFONOTARY EAD http://www.infonotary.com/
EVROTRUST TECHNOLOGIES JSC http://www.evrotrust.com


IMPORTANT!

Eurobank Bulgaria wants to focus your attention to the following safety tips while working with a qualified electronic signature which tips will provide the required degree of protection:

  • Qualified electronic signature (QES) is equivalent to a handmade signature on paper document, so please keep your QES as you keep your personal documents;
  • Insert the smart card into the reader or USB key in the computer at the moment of signing of the transaction and after that immediately remove it from your computer;
  • Leaving the signature plugged into the computer creates a condition for malicious use and potential abuse which will lead to negative consequences for the author's signature;
  • In case of doubt or assumption of fraudulent use of your QES, please contact immediately the QES provider or the Bank .
  • Successful registration of QES in e-Postbank.bg cancels the hitherto used digital certificate. We recommend that you also delete it from your browser as the Bank will not accept payments signed with it.
  • Upon certificate renewal or replacement, all signed but unprocessed payment orders (having a forthcoming execution date or an “Awaiting execution" status") will be cancelled. It is necessary to reorder and re-sign them.

In order to use a digital certificate, issued by the Bank it is necessary to install following components

For Internet Explorer browser

For Mozilla Firefox browser

Postbank digital certificate issuing proceeds in the following steps:

  • Step 1: Issuing
  • Step 2: Approval/Activation
  • Step 3: Installation

Issuing and installation of the certificate shall be made by the client, and Approval/Activation - by the Bank Call Center in the working hours.

Certificate issuing and installation takes place from the same computer, computer user, and browser.

Please do not share your certificate with anybody else and do not install it on public computers.