Electronic Timestamp with secunet multisign TSP Responder

There are many formalities and legal requirements to be observed in electronic business transactions, just like in traditional processes. An electronic timestamp must be added to documents and data for which specific deadlines must be observed or for which an expiration date is definitive. It confirms that a document was submitted in the stipulated form at a specific point in time.

The basis of legally binding electronic communication was created with the German Signature Act (SigG) and the corresponding ordinance. In addition to electronic signatures, the German Signature Act defines the so-called qualified timestamp and specifies the technical and organisational regulations for its generation. This way, electronic documents with qualified timestamps are just as conclusive and legally binding as paper records. As a result of the stringent legal requirements, qualified timestamps can only be issued by providers of certification services. These are usually trust centres which are compliant with the German Signature Act.

The secunet multisign TSP responder: flexible integration into existing structures

The secunet multisign TimeStampProtocol responder – TSP responder for short – can be used for the generation of qualified and non-qualified timestamps. It is compliant with the formalities and technical regulations of the German Signature Act (SigG) and the German Digital Signature Ordinance (SigV). Various providers of certification services in Germany are operating this solution. The secunet TSP responder is designed for flexibility regarding operation and performance, and thus integrates well into existing company structures.

Features of the TSP responder for generating qualified timestamps:

• Security-tested according to the requirements of the German Digital Signature Ordinance (ITSEC E2/High) and approved as per the German Signature Act
• Use of the legally applicable time as a reference time source (via DCF77)
• Use of signature creation devices as per the German Signature Act in the form of chip cards with sufficiently long key lengths

Features of the TSP responder for generating other timestamps:

• Use of further reference time sources such as GPS
• Use of further signature creation units in the form of chip cards or hardware security modules (HSMs) for high-performance requirements