How Certum has completely eliminated paper from a key business process.

Asseco Data Systems provides products, services and IT solutions based on its own and partner companies' software, services and ICT infrastructure. Certum, as a brand of Asseco being the oldest Certification Center in Poland, specialises in ensuring credibility and security of electronic documents and data handling. With over 23 years of experience supported by specialised knowledge and a team of over 180 specialists, the company is able to implement the most complex, technically advanced and innovative paperless projects.

Eliminate paper documents from the application registration process

The process of obtaining a SimplySign qualified electronic signature certificate and other trust services included the stage of hand-signing a printed application with an accompanying contract. In 2019, the decision was made to eliminate all paper documents and fully digitise the entire process. In this way, Certum became a user of its own paperless solutions, which it recommends, offers and implements for its customers. The new digital process covered the entire Certum partner network and selected key customers.The main challenge was to develop a legally compliant replacement for paper signatures. The main challenge was to develop a legally compliant substitute for a paper signature. One of the proposals was that the card would be replaced by a tablet screen and a handwritten signature would be applied on it with a stylus. Certum experts analysed the current legislation and came to the conclusion that such a signature, i.e., a graphic mark made and fixed in electronic technology, is quite sufficient to obtain a statement of intent from a future user of a signature or a qualified seal. Based on this, they developed a digital process for issuing a qualified certificate, both the traditional one (using a card and reader) and the cloud-based SimplySign. To put the idea into practice, it was necessary to select the right technology partners for the project, who would provide complete software and hardware.

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Trilateral technology partnership for paperless

To collaborate on the solution, Certum has invited Xtension and Samsung. The former is the developer of signaturiX software, which enables signing PDF documents using multiple methods, including biometric with a stylus on the screen of an electronic device. Samsung is a global supplier of advanced and secure mobile hardware. The manufacturer's tablets, thanks to an active screen, register the biometric features of the signature and are additionally secured by KNOX software. The signaturiX solution has been integrated with Certum's internal system for issuing qualified certificates. A dedicated trusted third-party service for securing biometric data is also part of the overall concept. The authenticity and integrity of the signature is ensured by a qualified electronic seal and a qualified electronic timestamp. This ensures that any change to the signed data will be detected. In the digital process, the user applying for a qualified certificate, hand-signs the application on a tablet with a stylus. Then, directly in the PDF document are recorded and encrypted the biometric characteristics of the signature made, such as the pressure force or the speed of writing. The result of the cooperation between Certum, Xtension and Samsung has automated and accelerated the process of issuing qualified electronic signatures while maintaining high standards of customer service and security. The process no longer requires the generation of paper documents, and is completely digitised. The company has also gained a new centralised model for digital customer registration.

'Implementing paperless processes at customers is our domain. One of our main strategic goals is the operation of paperless customer onboarding. As a result, we decided to carry out a project to implement signaturiX biometric signature at Asseco Data Systems. We wanted, above all, to increase the efficiency of issuing qualified certificates, minimide the risk of errors, improve the user experience in terms of UX and CX, and utilise the potential of employees unleashed by this.'

Mariusz Janczak, IT Business Partner at Asseco Data Systems

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Streamlining and modernising the issuance of qualified certificates

• Secure paperless process
• Reduced time to complete paperwork
• Sign the application anywhere, anytime
• Improved UX and CX of the process – intuitive workflow
• Higher employee efficiency
• Fewer application errors
• Total reduction in paper handling costs
• Environmental protection

'Collaboration with Xtension, a provider of signaturiX biometric signature, together with advanced mobile devices provided by Samsung, has created a completely digital way to issue Certum qualified certificates. As a result, Asseco, the market leader in qualified trust services, complements its offer with a convenient and secure solution for clients requesting e-signature, e-seal, and expands its offer of digitisation of document signing processes for key clients.'

Mariusz Janczak, IT Business Partner at Asseco Data Systems

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