JEDDAH: The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has launched an e-authentication and certification service in cooperation with the House of Development, a Jeddah-based software and document security solutions company.
The new electronic authentication and certification system will be integrated with YESSER, the Saudi e-government program.
The new system has been launched as part of the process of developing e-government applications in the country.
"The new digital service will allow JCCI members to use an easy and well-secured authentication process for verifying official documents and signatures," said Mohammed Geoffrey, the company's CEO. "The service also protects authenticated documents from fraud and misrepresentation and protects the interests of businesspeople and chamber members who will get the required services quickly and in full confidentially."
The House of Development has used the latest technology to develop integrated solutions for real-time signature authentication, hence giving subscribing companies and other establishments in Saudi Arabia the opportunity to conveniently and securely authenticate their documents.
The company has procured patents in the GCC, the EU, the United States and China in order to protect its products. The CEO expects demand for the e-authentication system to increase in view of the Kingdom's policy of adopting more electronic transaction applications.
Under the system, an authorized user in a JCCI member-company can verify his "dynamic signature," which demonstrates legally the user intent, in a very secure environment. These electronically enrolled signatures are used to approve sensitive certified legal documents over the Internet. These certified documents can be sent to the party concerned by e-mail or stored in the database of the party concerned.
The new e-authentication and certification (Tasdeeq) service also cuts transportation and courier costs as well as time spent in waiting at certification offices. At the JCCI in particular, it will reduce crowding and ensure quick and easy, around-the-clock services.
To make use of this service, companies must register their particulars and information about signatories on the Tasdeeq website. Also required is a certified document from the chamber confirming that they are the authorized signatories. Three electronic signatures of each signatory are then entered into the system, using the signature pad and electronic pen.
"Signature verification is carried out very quickly and easily. The authentication process not only verifies the movement of the signature but also its shape. The system is very accurate and keeps an Adobe PDF certified document format that can be easily validated using the Adobe Acrobat Reader," he said.
© Arab News 2011