News Archive 2007

15.10.2007
Mobile Signatures in action at CeBIT Eurasia
Many applications now available in Turkey.

The following applications of mobile signatures were showcased at CeBIT Eurasia:

Withdrawing money from ATMs with mobile signatures
This solution enables users to prove their identity to an ATM. The user doesn't need to be carrying a bank card to make transactions using ATMs or kiosks. The user selects "cardless transaction" from the ATM screen followed by entering an ID number. Next, the user signs (via mobile phone) the request to access the account. After that, the user can do all the transactions that could have been done with the bank card. This solution is highly secure and very practical. The bank may choose additional signing for cash money withdrawals to maximize security. Currently this solution has been implemented by two banks in Turkey: IsBank & Garanti.

Signing MS Outlook / Outlook Express emails with mobile signatures
Signing emails has been available for some years. Unfortunately it hasn't really caught on. The ones used at corporate levels don't have validity outside the company. In addition, once the solution is installed at one PC, it's not functional for the user to sign a document from other PCs, including the one used at home. There is typically a need to invest in tokens or smart card readers that require drivers. With mobile signatures, the user can sign emails from any PC that can access email. During a quick setup the user enters the mobile phone number into an Outlook signing application. Then whenever the user wants the application to sign a message, the signature request comes to the mobile phone via SMS. After the authentication is complete the signature is attached to the message.

Banking with mobile signatures
Increased usage of online banking lowers operational costs for banks while bringing convenience and user-friendliness to the customers. The Internet is now accessible in handsets with 2,5G and 3G networks. When banking applications run on handsets they are prone to more attacks. Mobile signatures strengthen the security level up to the EAL 4+ standards by keeping ID and access rights on the SIM. Banks don’t need to worry about security levels of different handsets because they can just launch their mobile banking services securely reaching more customers anywhere, anytime.

Adobe Acrobat signing
Adobe Acrobat has become the defacto document format on the Internet and across digital networks. It has features that we don't utilize, one being that it lets users fill in forms as well as digitally sign them. This is a major breakthrough on the path to paperless offices. Adobe Acrobat documents can be signed just like MS Outlook documents and would be accepted as if they are signed by hand. In addition they can easily be stored at file management systems. No more need to keep piles of papers in archives, as even retrieving them is only a few key strokes and clicks away.

Municipality transactions of Fatih and Sisli districts of Istanbul
Citizens tend to avoid visiting governmental offices because a typical experience includes bureaucracy and lines. With mobile signatures, citizens can now remotely conduct municipality transactions, such as applying for marriage, entering tenders, requesting information and submitting building construction applications. Even more services will be added in coming phases. Fatih Municipality in Istanbul and Sisli is the first in the world to offer services based on mobile signatures. More municipalities are expected to follow.

Purchasing and sales processes through Pratis.net
Pratis.net is a procurement portal that adds value to its customers by providing Internet-based technology and services for improving traditional purchasing and sales processes. By using the Pratis.net Electronic Trade Platform application, corporations can supply indirect goods and services independent from their main business field, as well as their direct goods and services. Utilizing mobile signatures leads to much faster processes, starting from submitting offers legally and through all "paper work".