CAs digital signature is a particular government certified identification code which is used to authenticate digital information for documents and e-mail messages. The Electronic Transaction Act 2063 provides a legal framework for electronic governance by giving recognition to electronic records and Digital Signatures.
OCC is the main responsible government body to implement DSC as the Root CA. DSC not only helps private business sectors for the secure, risk-free transaction but also for the overall government organization’s officials. Even while implementing the DSC government bodies have to face different threats, yet they have many opportunities while bringing DSC on use.
In the context of Nepal, here PKI enabled application is not found in most of the government agencies. Many private, as well as government organizations, i.e., banks and other business firms, use different applications like Pumori, Finacle, etc. where DSC are not trusted from the root which doesn’t make even the top level of private as well as government agencies feel their ownership of DS. The Government Root CA has not been integrated with Global CA and is not trusted in browsers as Root CA, Nepal Root CA is kept as Trusted Root CA manually in present internal context.
DSC is being implemented with the help of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) where still it lacks awareness; special awareness programs should be conducted for better information about DS and the relationship between both public and private sectors. Government bodies like Inland Revenue, Nepal Rastra Bank and other regulatory should help and initiate in the implication of DSC nationally.
Nepal Certifying Company, the Digital Signature Certificate generators are not only focusing on generating Digital Signature and Certificate but also appeals to all government bodies and individuals to use these Digital Signatures to make “Digital Nepal.” Apart from all the problems and threats government bodies have been facing for implementing DSC they have much more opportunities using it.
It helps all government agencies across federal government and state and local government move to paperless processing giving relief from the manual process in support of their mission for Digital Nepal transformation strategy.
It fastens the government work significantly as hundreds of daily transactions can be performed in short duration with full security. Digital Signatures provides an authentication mechanism and acceptability in various government offices and courts of law.