No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveDigital Signatures Initiated in Costa Rica

Digital Signatures Initiated in Costa Rica

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;}@font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:””; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;}@page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;}div.Section1 {page:Section1;}–>

OnTuesday afternoon at the Central Bank (BCCR), Presidency Minister RodrigoArias, standing in for flu-stricken President Oscar Arias, was the first Costa Ricancitizen to receive a digital signature card, which serves to protect useridentity and financial information when making online transactions. The digitalsignature, which was created by the National System of Digital Certification,is a plastic card with an imbedded chip that contains

personalstatistics and financial information.

Thedigital signature also includes a personal key code, provided by the Central Bank,which confirms the identity of each user. The code is included in the cardchip, though it is invisible to the naked eye.

Theprimary difference between the digital signature card and a regular credit or debitcard is that, when making an online transaction with the digital signaturecard, the private key code number, which is provided by the bank, is mandatoryin order to make the transaction. The key code number is private, and knownonly by the card owner.

Currently,businesses and institutions lack the appropriate software to conduct transactionswith the card containing the digital signature, though the Finance Ministry andAssociation of Engineers and Architects (CFIA) are at work to permit transactionswith the digital signature in the coming months. The bill to allow for digitalsignatures was first presented to the Legislative Assembly in 2001 and approvedin 2005. However, the creation of the necessary software took more than fouryears.

Accordingto the Central Bank, use of the digital signature would help eradicate bankfraud and credit card theft, which continue to be growing problems with online transactions.

Touse the digital signature card, a user must first obtain a personal key fromthe Central Bank. Then, to make a transaction, the user must insert the cardinto a small card reader, which will cost an estimated ¢40,000 ($67). Thecard-reading device connects to a personal computer through a USB port andverifies the identity of the user. When making the transaction, the private keycode and digital signature card are both needed to validate the user and make asecure transaction.

–Adam Williams

Trending Now

A Closer Look at the Elusive Purple Gallinule in Costa Rica

Quick! Think of a purple bird! It’s a little difficult, right? I searched my brain and came up with a purple martin. A small...

Low Dollar Exchange Rate Threatens Costa Rican Industry

Ten of Costa Rica’s leading business chambers have sent a joint letter to the Central Bank calling for an immediate adjustment to the country's...

Costa Rica Fails to Meet Human Rights Standards for Deportees

The Ombudsman's Office has confirmed that Costa Rica was unprepared to provide adequate care for deportees who have entered the country since February. This...

Venezuelan Migrants Describe Torture After Deportation to El Salvador

“You’re going to rot in here. You’ll spend 300 years in prison.” That’s what Maikel Olivera says guards repeatedly told him during his four-month...

El Salvador at Center of Controversial U.S.-Venezuela Detainee Exchange

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele received the 10 Americans exchanged on Friday between Washington and Caracas for 252 Venezuelans who had spent four months in...

Costa Rica’s Poás Volcano Park Reopening to Tourists With Safety Measures

The Poás Volcano National Park will reopen its doors to tourism starting July 30, after  scientific entities reported a decrease in volcanic activity. This was...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica