Alternatives Analysis

incomplete - characterizes alternative approaches to e-signatures.

Context for Analysis (Steve to provide

Requirements

Ease-of-use consistent with typical commercial online transactions such as consumer banking or personal investor securities trading
Portable e-signature capability, not tied to a particular Internet access device or particular type of access device (rules out a signature digitizing pad, fingerprint reader, etc.)
Low-cost or no-cost to the end user, cost to agency appropriate for business value delivered
Accountability appropriate to mitigate business risk - which is a function of confidence in the original identity assertion (was the registrant who they claimed to be?), the chain of custody of the identity credentials (did the registrant maintain sole custody of the secret key), the integrity of the signed document (is the document in evidence exactly the same document that was signed?), and the legal framework of the e-signature (is the signature legally binding?).

Design Alternatives

In the design of e-signature systems there are several independent components, each of which present choices among technical alternatives, and these choices can be mapped to our requirements:

Design Alternative	Registration	Credential	Credential Delivery	Signing Technology	Tamper Evident Packaging	Ease-of-use	Portability	Cost	Accountability
Theoretical PKI alternative	In-person proofing at USPO	PKI private key	In-person	Digital Signature: document hash is encrypted with private key. Requires some type of reader to input the key, and, client software to execute the hashing and encrypting	Store text of document and digital signature; this combination is tamper-evident by design	Fail: complex and mysterious	Fail: reader required	Fail: cost of person-proofing and certificate issuance	Pass: strong confidence in identity and credential, however, custody of credential not guaranteed
USDA Level 2 Access	Create online profile, then appear in-person at USDA Service Center with government-issued photo ID to activate level 2 credentials	User ID and password	Customer specified credentials are electronically activated by USDA Service Center employee	tbd	tbd				Pass: strong confidence in identity, however, custody of credential not guaranteed
FedEx-like digitized signature: holographic signature using stylus on a digitizing pad	Signature would not necessarily be electronically associated with the registrant	Image of a holographic signature	None required	Signatory signs a holographic signature on a digitizing pad while the digitizing pad is under the control of agency's e-signature software	Package signed document and image of holographic signature; requires external "seal" to make tamper-evident	Pass: familiar and understandable	Fail: stylus and digitizing pad required, custom software required at client device	Fail: cost of stylus and digitizing pad	Pass: characteristics similar to traditional signature
RSA SecureID¿	Configurable per business requirements; could be fully online using shared secrets	Choice of 5 hardware authenticators or software for cell phone or PDA	Hardware authenticators require physical delivery; software authenticators "seed" could be delivered electronically	Signatory signs with a "something you know" pin or password, and, a one-time use token code generated by their authenticator	Package signed document and authentication metadata; requires external "seal" to make tamper-evident	Pass: dedicated devices mask deep complexity	Fail: dedicated device must be present at signing	Fail: cost of dedicated device and licensing	Pass: strong confidence in identity and credential, good confidence in custody of credential
HMS Permits: no confirmation of identity	Online registration at http://www.hmspermits.gov/	Permit number	Online issuance of permit	na	na