Issue No. 5 - March 2003
Happy
Easter!
Welcome to the 5th issue of the Hongkong Post e-Cert News.
It has always been our pleasure to bring to you the updated
news on Hongkong Post e-Cert , its latest developments and
its newly developed applications. We hope you enjoy this issue
and wish you a Happy Easter!
You
will find some interesting topics as follows:
1.
Hongkong Post and Hewlett Packard Hong Kong Ltd. ("HP")
Collaborate to Drive Application of Free e-Cert on Smart ID
Card.
In
a ceremony held on 19 March 2003, Hongkong Post and HP unveiled
the following collaborative initiatives to promote the growth
and development of the use of embedded e-Cert on Smart ID
Cards:-
-
Both
will organise various seminars and workshops focused on
different aspects of e-Cert on Smart ID development and
deployment, to assist and encourage software developers
to create homegrown business for the opportunity of e-Cert
on smart ID card.
-
HP will provide a series of robust, packaged software
development tools to enable the solution developers to
quickly design and deploy applications for e-Cert use.
The toolkit is relatively easy to incorporate various
e-Cert related functions into the software.
-
HP
will, starting from July 2003, bundle smart card reader
with HP consumer desktop PCs, including Presario and Pavilion
families, to encourage the easy access to the online services
using the authentication capabilities of e-Certs on smart
ID card.
offer of first-year free use of e-Cert will nurture the growth
of a critical mass of users. That will in turn encourage industry
initiatives to bring about new business applications or services
that ride on the use of e-Cert on Smart ID cards.
(For
more information on Hewlett Packard Hong Kong Ltd., please
visit http://thenew.hp.com/country/hk/eng/welcome.html)
2.
Updates on Smart ID Card Free e-Cert Program
Starting
from mid-2003, the existing Hong Kong ID card will be replaced
by a new multi-applications smart ID card. That will mark
a momentous milestone in the development of Hong Kong as cyber
city and let all residents enjoy the benefits of e-convenience
in their daily life at a new digital era.
During the period of ID card replacement, HKSAR residents
can opt for the first-year free use of Hong Kong Post e-Cert,
which will be embedded in the new ID card's memory chip. Hongkong
Post e-Cert has already been widely used in many public and
commercial online services, such as secure email services,
government services, entertainment, stock trading and banking.
To
ensure all residents can enjoy the offer, Hongkong Post has
drawn up programs to encourage existing ID cardholders to
register for the first-year-free e-Cert either by fax/mail
or by visiting Hongkong Post CA website or post offices. Later
when you visit the Smart ID Card Centre for card replacement,
you are only required to visit the special service counters
of Hongkong Post for data verification and authentication.
And for those who have not registered in advance, they can
apply on the spot.
application procedures for the first-year-free e-Cert is very
simple. What you need to do is to furnish Hongkong Post with
basic personal data and present your existing ID card to Hongkong
Post's service counter staff who will then distribute an e-Cert
PIN envelope to you. Once the application is successful, the
e-Cert will be embedded in your new smart ID card, and you
will be able to collect both of them at the same time. You
can use the PIN provided in the envelope to activate the e-Cert
and enjoy all the convenience and time-saving benefits of
e-life, made possible by the new smart ID card and e-Cert
.
preparation for the issuance of such a massive number
of e-Certs in smart ID card, the Hongkong Post Certification
Authority system is being upgraded. The specifications
of e-Cert to be embedded in the smart ID card will also
be slightly modified. Interested party who wants to
have a copy of the new specification for reference,
please email us at enquiry@hongkongpost.gov.hk. |
3.
Hongkong Post PKI Alliance Program
The
Hongkong Post PKI Alliance Program has recently been launched
to facilitate the collaboration and cooperation among the
first-class and committed players in Hong Kong's PKI (Public
Key Infrastructure) industry. The objectives of the program
are as follows:
-
To provide businesses and consumers with easy access to
the network of PKI solution providers and industry players
in Hong Kong;
- To
provide a convenient channel to those who are interested
in obtaining information about PKI-related products/services
as well as giving some insight into the implementation
of PKI applications;
- To
facilitate cooperation and collaboration among PKI industry
participants and stake holders;
- To
encourage the use of PKI / e-Certs in various business
sectors in Hong Kong.
A
new chapter, "Partners", has been added to our website
to provide vital information such as the Alliance Program
members' directory, success stories, details of trainings
and seminars, a PKI resource centre. The easily-accessible
material is available at the Hongkong Post CA web site (http://www.hongkongpost.gov.hk/).
PKI solutions vendors, system integrators, developers and
accessories manufacturers who are committed to developing,
promoting and providing PKI technology related products and
services are welcomed to participate in the Program. For more
information about the Hongkong Post PKI Alliance Program,
please click here.
http://partner.hongkongpost.gov.hk/about/index.html
In
addition, on web pages of the Partner Program, there are lots
of valuable information for readers' reference. For example,
on the page of Members
Directory, there exhibits many of our members' PKI technology
related solutions. On the page of PKI
Resource Centre, it displays not only a collection of
worldwide public CA and PKI Forum information but also a "mini"
learning centre of PKI technology, etc. Please visit the page
at
http://partner.hongkongpost.gov.hk/directory/index.html
and we hope you enjoy it.
4.
New e-Cert Application--i.Secure Store
i.Secure
Store is a user-friendly data protection tool for Microsoft
Windows (98SE/Me/NT4/2000/XP) employing the Hongkong Post
e-Cert. It works transparently with Microsoft Windows to promote
supreme security.
Store makes use of the latest PKI technology with strong encryption,
integrated with personal smart token iKey, to ensure every
information that reaches its user is uniquely identified,
confidential and intact.
user-friendly interface enables travelers, professionals,
PC users and business executives to prevent any unauthorized
access to their sensitive and business critical files. i.Secure
Store enables users conveniently drag-n-drop files in or out
of the secure folder and users can instantly and seamlessly
encrypt and decrypt the confidential files.
Store also includes a built-in Application Smart Launcher.
When the user double-clicks on the encrypted file, it will
be decrypted and launched automatically and the whole process
is transparent to the existing workflow. Any further modifications
made will be updated and encrypted automatically.
are different versions of i.Secure Store including Personal,
Lite, SME and Enterprise versions. Digital Signature and secure
document sharing are supported by Lite or above versions.
30 days-trial free evaluation copy or more information about
i.Secure Store, please visit
http://www.archisoft.com.hk/securestore.html
5.
New e-Cert Application-- to apply for Hongkong Post's services
Home
moving or office moving? If so, you may need to apply for
the redirection of correspondence. But this time around, you
can sit back, relax and apply it with your PC and e-Cert,
rather than physically going to the post offices.
part of Hongkong Post's ongoing efforts to provide innovative,
expedient customer services, you can now conveniently use
your e-Cert, either personal or organizational, to apply for
a number of Hongkong Post services via the Internet, e.g.
the service for redirection of correspondence, or Speedpost,
Local CourierPost, Freepost or Post Office Private Box services,
etc. You simply have to visit the Hongkong Post web site,
fill in an e-form and click the submit button, which will
then automatically sign the instruction with your e-Cert and
send it back to Hongkong Post for processing. It is so simple
and convenient in using e-Cert in our daily life.
For more information about Hongkong Post's e-form, please
visit http://www.hongkongpost.com/eng/forms/index.htm
6.
Update on HKPKI Forum
The
Hong Kong PKI Forum ("HKPKIF") established 4 Working
Groups including Business, Interoperability, Legal, and Worldwide
Collaboration. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for each
of the Working Group are as follows:
- Business
Working Group
Chairman: Mr. Abel Chan, The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Vice-Chairman: Mr. Chris Chow, Hutchison Telecommunications
(HK) Limited
- Interoperability
Working Group
Chairman: Mr. Timothy Siu, Sun Microsystems of California
Limited
Vice-Chairman: Mr. Felix See, Hewlett-Packard Hong Kong
Limited
- Legal
Working Group
Establishment pending
- Worldwide
Collaboration Working Group
Chairwoman: Ms. Carol Chiu, The Chinese University of
Hong Kong
Vice-Chairman: Mr. Sang Yip, Hutchison Telecommunications
(HK) Limited
Members - Four new members have joined the HKPKIF:
- Advanced
Card Systems Limited
- MobileTech
Limited
- Skrine
Thomas Sharrock
- Thales
e-Security
Event - HKPKIF will host the next Asia PKI Forum events and
meetings in Hong Kong in September 2003. Details to be announced
later.
- Digital 21 IT Strategy (click here
for details)
- Electronic Transactions Ordinance (click
here
for details)
- The Code of Practice for Recognized Certification
Authorities (click here
for details)
- Electronic Service Delivery Scheme (click
here
for details)
For enquiries or comments
on our services, please contact us at 2921 6633 or email us
at enquiry@hongkongpost.gov.hk.
|
