What is a certificate, why do I need one, what types of digital certificate exist? These are some of the questions that many companies ask themselves when they need to be identified electronically.
A digital certificate is a document that guarantees a person’s identity on the Internet and allows them to carry out actions such as signing documents or accessing electronic offices. For this reason, it is now essential for companies and professionals to have a certificate in order to be able to carry out their work.
If we do not have a digital certificate, we must go to a Certification Authority, recognised as a Trusted Service Provider, to issue one. It is important to do so with an officially recognised entity to ensure that the identity of the owner, the integrity of the message and the non-repudiation of electronic transactions are guaranteed.
There are different types of certificate depending on the tasks you want to do with it. In this post we tell you about the most common ones.
When we work online and need to identify ourselves with a digital certificate, we must first ask ourselves what we need it for. So that you can choose the right type of certificate at any given moment, here are the most commonly used types of digital certificate and the tasks they are used for:
At Ivnosys we have more than 15 years of experience in the field of digital identity security. Are you an IBEX company, an SME or a freelancer? Discover IvSign. Request a demo or ask us what you need.
The current situation in which we find ourselves has driven digitalisation and digital transformation in companies. At this point it is essential to have the right tools, so that organisations can guarantee the security of their processes, while increasing their productivity and becoming more competitive.
At Ivnosys we remain committed to cybersecurity solutions, promoting digital tools such as IvSign, to secure and control the custody of digital certificates and IvCert, to streamline the electronic signature of documents with the highest legal status required by eIDAS.
These days, it is necessary to use a digital certificate to work online and to carry out electronic transactions with the Public Administration. It is common for employees of a company to share these certificates to consult information or to sign and invoice electronically, with the result that the certificates end up scattered and installed on multiple computers without any type of control. Not knowing where, how, by whom and, above all, what these certificates are used for means a high security risk for companies.
We would like to highlight the successful case of our client Deloitte, who has implemented several of our tools at national level to prevent the fraudulent use of certificates. This is an increasingly important issue due to the strong commitment to remote working that organisations are making and the risk they take if they are not prepared.
Deloitte launches its alert management system -HealthCer-, a continuous improvement service that facilitates real-time monitoring of the use of certificates and their associated risks.
The project was mainly based on the implementation of IvSign, a tool that allows all certificates to be managed centrally, while establishing usage policies and auditing all operations carried out. In addition, Deloitte has HealthCer, a management and monitoring service integrated with its SOC, which makes it possible to identify in real time any anomaly that may arise with the use of certificates.
Deloitte is glad to incorporate Ivnosys as a technology partner to enhance our cybersecurity services regarding the use of certificates and digital signatures. We are continuously looking for innovative and differential solutions that allow us to continue providing value to our clients. Pablo Martín González, Risk Advisory Partner at Deloitte
IvSign secures digital certificates thanks to its centralisation in the cloud, guaranteeing that they are not copied or reproduced and allowing their use from any location and mobile device.
In this way, the IvSign user obtains full control and auditing of their digital certificates, by controlling, from a single point, the use of these documents by all the company’s employees, being able to restrict their use according to certain parameters. Likewise, Deloitte, within its technological portfolio, also offers these solutions, in collaboration with Ivnosys, to those of its clients who require these services.
We are very pleased that a renowned company like Deloitte has decided to implement our digital solutions. We will continue working to optimise processes and help our clients to advance their cybersecurity by modernising their business systems, helping them to adapt to the new demands of the market and regulators. Jaime Castelló, CEO of Ivnosys
Nuestras soluciones en materia de digitalización cuentan con el respaldo de Ivnosys como Prestador de Servicios de Confianza Cualificado, cumpliendo con los más altos estándares marcados por la normativa eIDAS 910/2014.
Our digital solutions are guaranteed by Ivnosys as a Qualified Trusted Service Provider, complying with the highest standards set by the eIDAS 910/2014 regulation.
Companies are evolving their business models for digitalization, leading to paperless offices. This trend has grown even more with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, as paper is one of the most common elements of contagion. Today we are discussing tips on how to digitize the activity in the safest way and protect the health of employees after returning to work in this new normality.
La digitalización de las organizaciones ha 
The use of technology in day-to-day work is increasing. For example, the electronic management of procedures with public authorities, the use of digital certificates, electronic signatures and document management in the cloud.
Let’s take advantage of the moment, it’s time to put paper behind us and go for electronic management. However, this paperless trend has been around for some time now. Organizations are getting rid of paper in their offices and achieving greater efficiency. This is because of cost savings such as the purchase, printing and storage of paper. And it also avoids the inconvenient accumulation of paper on desks, cabinets, filing cabinets…
Because we cannot forget that one of the main problems of companies is the amount of space required to store piles of paper that, over time, have no use at all. In addition, these files are likely to be damaged, lost or even accessed by unauthorised persons.
One of the main changes in this new normality is the way we relate to public bodies. Until now, companies and self-employed workers were already obliged by Law 39/2015 to communicate electronically with the Public Administration, which involves, among other things, the management of electronic notifications.
Well, more and more processes and procedures will be established online, which will mean fewer queues and waiting times, as well as no need to show up at the offices. This is an opportunity to increase productivity and reduce the workload that was previously the case. Faster processes and procedures will be easy and convenient.
We don’t know how long we will be able to sign documents in person, so another big change is the electronic signature of documents. In fact, in the last few months there has been a great rise in the use of digital signatures 
for all types of remote communications, whether with employees, suppliers, customers, certified communications…
A positive aspect in this area is Spain’s leading position at European level, having the greatest experts in digital identities, electronic transactions and electronic signatures. Thanks to this, we have the most secure types of signature that have the same or greater validity than handwritten signatures on paper.
Ivnosys ensures the legal support of electronically signed documents by being a Qualified Trusted Electronic Service Provider, complying with the strict standards of the European regulation eIDAS 910/2014.
The digital certificate could be defined as a digital document that identifies us in the operations that we carry out through the Internet, our online ID card. With our certificate we can access the electronic sites of the Public Administrations and sign digital documents, guaranteeing in a reliable manner the identity of the user who performs the action. This benefits the legal aspect, as it gives full legal recognition and defensible electronic evidence in the event of a dispute.
Thus, it is essential to protect the use that employees make of the digital certificate. To this end, there are tools prepared for the centralization of certificates in a single point and to control their use in real time.
After this, you may have doubts about the differences between digital certificates and electronic signatures, such as when to use each… but here we clarify them all
Do you need to digitize your organization in the face of this new normality? Discover our solutions or contact us if you need personalized advice.
Now more than ever, due to confinement, many technologies are proving their worth in times of need. Since we cannot go to the authorities in person, we need a tool that allows us to do so digitally.
This is why Cepsa extends the agreement that allows it to automatically manage the electronic notifications thanks to the IvNeos manager. The tool allows to monitor, download and control the notifications issued by thousands of public bodies in an efficient and safe way.
The platform solves the problems faced by large companies, such as Cepsa. The company has been trusting Ivnosys for years as a technological partner to digitalize the management of electronic notifications issued by the Public Administrations.
“The digital transformation is a key driver for Cepsa. Tools such as IvNeos help us to improve processes, increasing our efficiency and agility, the main objectives of the digitalisation process in which we are immersed”. Julián Calvo, head of information systems at Cepsa’s shared services centre
The company began its commitment to IvNeos in 2018, with the aim of implementing a tool that would help it to monitor, download and control electronic notifications from public bodies efficiently and securely.
Throughout 2019, Cepsa synchronised more than 11,000 notifications thanks to the platform, reducing management times, improving productivity and putting an end to the use of paper.
IvNeos was created to support compliance with Law 39/2015, which requires companies and individuals to interact electronically with public administrations. A centralized box is thus established, capable of synchronizing thousands of public bodies and receiving all notifications automatically.
The manager relieves employees of the workload involved in managing and monitoring the status of electronic notifications at each public body site manually on a daily basis.
In addition, IvNeos has an audit process that collects detailed information about employees’ access to the different sites and the actions taken by them. Furthermore, it maintains total control over the status and management of electronic notifications, without compromising the company’s security.
This implementation in Cepsa has managed to turn a routine and unproductive task into an optimized and effective process. This also results in cost savings. By monitoring and attending to the electronic notifications with the manager, economic and administrative sanctions are avoided for notifications that were left unattended or not received due to communication failures.
One of the advantages of Ivnosys is that it designs the platform in such a way that it adapts to the specific needs of the company. Taking into account Cepsa’s organizational structure and the diversity of departments dealing with electronic notifications, the company has a custom-made platform. The IvNeos manager has an automatic monitoring service of the notifications coming from the different electronic sites. An automatic filtering is thus established so that each department receives the notifications that correspond to it according to the area, public body or other variables.
Cepsa, a global energy company present in the five continents, covers the business areas of Exploration and Production, Refining, Chemicals, Marketing, Gas and Electricity, and Trading. The company has 90 years of experience and a team of nearly 10,000 professionals, with technical excellence and capacity to adapt.
Do you need more information about IvNeos? Contact us.
Ivnosys carries out a digital signature project with Quabit, which helps it to become a reference. The first development company in Spain to incorporate a virtual process for the sale of its homes.
This project was the result of the difficulties arising from the Covid-19 crisis, which led Quabit to digitize the processes of buying and selling homes. To this end, the company has incorporated the electronic signature platform, IvCert. It allows to carry out telematically different phases of the process with customers, such as pre-booking and reserving a home, or signing the purchase contract.”
All this time we have been working to mitigate the effects of the health crisis. The result has been our Online Purchase Programme which has meant evolving our usual commercial channels and activating new services such as online pre-booking, online appointments, 360º tours and the digital signing of contracts, from the mobile phone, with all the legal security”. Javier M. Prieto, Managing Director of Quabit
Why has Quabit trusted IvCert for this process? Because it is the only one in the market that offers the full range of electronic signature types; from the simplest to the most advanced. In addition, and very importantly, the platform complies with the security standards set by the European eIDAS regulation. Thanks to it, Quabit employees and clients can send all types of documentation for recipients to sign and digitally validate in just a few minutes.
IvCert allows evidence of delivery to be collected, guaranteeing maximum security in signed documents, even surpassing the validity of a handwritten signature. In this way, Quabit has highlighted a different approach: selling assets that were traditionally only done in person. As a result, the company has reduced management times, improved security and reduced the use of paper.
“We are very happy to help Quabit in its digital transformation, as well as to respond to the needs of its clients who, now more than ever, require safe, efficient and adjustable processes. Sergio Ruiz, Managing Director of Ivnosys
As we mentioned, this is an avant-garde initiative that, although proposed in times of social distancing, is the beginning of a change in habits.
It is a market accustomed to carrying out transactions in person. But technology has come to stay, to make it easier for a sales channel that is so deadlocked in its processes.
In addition, Quabit will also take advantage of this technology to allow customers from other countries to carry out a home purchase process telematically. It is an improvement without limits.
Yes, because another of IvCert’s advantages with the Quabit is the possibility of having several signatories on the documents, which is particularly useful in the real estate market.
No more long waiting times, double dealing, using so much paper… the time has come, the future is now.
Quabit Inmobiliaria‘s residential portfolio currently includes almost 60 residential developments with more than 4,000 homes in different phases of construction in Madrid, Guadalajara, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Malaga and the Costa del Sol.
In recent weeks, the number of companies that are teleworking as a result of COVID-19 has grown exponentially and are adopting digital certificate and electronic signature in their daily work. However, it is important to know these two terms well and use them appropriately.
The digital certificate is a digital document that identifies us in the online environment, allowing us to carry out procedures via telematics. As an example, the digital certificate is like an electronic ID that we use to access electronic sites or sign documents, among others.
This makes it the safest way to operate when working on the internet. But why does a digital certificate have so much security?
The digital certificate identifies us in the online environment, allowing us to access electronic sites or sign digital documents.
A key reason is:
Another reason is:
When we refer to an electronic signature, we are referring to the set of data that, associated with an electronic document, uniquely identifies the signatory and gives legal validity to the signed document (with the certainty that it has not been manipulated or altered after the signature).
The European eIDAS regulation establishes the guidelines for electronic identification and the types of recognised electronic signatures. There is a wide range of types of signature that can be used in each transaction depending on the legal recognition required and the technology available. In addition, the collection of electronic evidence provided by each signature must be taken into account, making it defensible in the event of a dispute.
The main types of signatures are:
The eIDAS regulation recognises the signature with certificate as the most secure type of electronic signature.
With Ivnosys you can acquire these types of signatures, including a fifth one: the signature with certificate centralized in the cloud. Also, the certified communication, although it is not a signature, is a certified delivery of a message by email or SMS.
As we can see, digital certificate and electronic signature play a fundamental role for companies now that most processes and communications are carried out electronically.
There are tools that enable companies to continue with their day-to-day operations, as well as communicate with third parties from any device and without the need to move.
At Ivnosys, we have IvSign, our certificate issuing and centralisation platform, which gives companies autonomy and flexibility, allowing them to control the use of the certificates at all times by their employees.
We also have the certified delivery and electronic signature platform, IvCert, which offers all types of electronic signature, allowing you to sign and send documents requesting their signature. It allows to control in real time the status of the shipments and collects the electronic evidence being recognized by Ivnosys as a Qualified Trust Service Provider and Trusted Third Party.
The covid-19 has driven the digital transformation of companies, and that is a fact. An example of this can be seen in Cáritas, the first social organisation that has implemented a documentary digitalisation project, thanks to Ivnosys.
Many of the 70 insertion companies of Cáritas have reoriented their activity to support the help to the most vulnerable. So from Ivnosys we have thought why not help those who help, because everything counts.
Solidarity action with CáritasRecently, Ivnosys has signed an agreement with Cáritas to donate at zero cost the technological solutions for the digital development of the charity organization, constituted by the Episcopal Conference. Among the services offered is the system of centralisation of digital certificates, electronic signature and management of electronic notifications.
“This collaboration is a magnificent opportunity for us because these tools will help us to protect and manage our digital identity, as well as making Cáritas the first organisation in the third social sector in Spain to have this type of certification, which is of vital importance in order to comply with the RGPD’s regulations, both with the information regarding our donors and our participants”. M.A. García, responsible for Donor and Institutional Relations at Cáritas
This agreement means that Ivnosys makes a solidarity contribution and applies to the 70 Diocesan Caritas that make up the Caritas Confederation in Spain.
One of the tools made available to Cáritas is the centralization platform for digital certificates, IvSign, which will allow the organization to manage and control all its certificates, donated by Camerfirma, on a single platform. Thanks to this, it will be possible to control the use of the certificates made by the workers and volunteers in a more controlled and secure way. Thus, this system allows to track who, when and what accesses the digital certificates.
On the other hand, the IvNeos manager is donated which will allow Cáritas to automatically synchronize the electronic notifications it receives from public administrations. This translates into the monitoring of more than 9,000 sites of public bodies. These notifications will be received in a single box, and the relevant answers can be sent from the platform itself.
Finally, Cáritas will also have the IvCert electronic signature platform. Thanks to this platform, the processes for collecting permissions for the transfer of data, image rights or confirmation of aid delivery will be optimised. Similarly, you will be able to sign and send your digital documents in compliance with the security standards set out in the European eIDAS regulations.
“We are very pleased to collaborate with an organisation as essential as Cáritas and to help them, as far as possible, to speed up and protect their work processes through digital innovation so that they can continue to develop their cooperation initiatives. These tools will become the new way to communicate with donors, suppliers, partners or food banks for the organisation. Sergio Ruiz, CEO of Ivnosys.
In addition, the organization will be able to take advantage of this platform to respond to its internal procedures, allowing it to manage all transactions with suppliers, donors and employees more easily. One point to highlight is the full legal recognition of signed documents thanks to the collection of electronic evidence.
At Ivnosys we are committed to actions that help the most needy through the hand of Cáritas, providing free licenses for the use of our products. These tools will allow the organization to centralize, protect and manage the digital identity of the electronic transactions it performs, as well as allowing it to save considerable time and costs.
The British company AON, a leader in global professional services, trusted Ivnosys in its efforts to digitize its processes and reduce the use of paper. A project that has also allowed them to reduce management times and work in such a way that security is not compromised.
Thanks to the digital transformation process of the last two years and the experience gained, AON employees operate normally from the first day of the alert. Thus, there has been no loss of productivity or efficiency, as we have the most advanced tools in the field of the use of digital certificates and communications with third parties.
In the agreement that was made, it is allowed to work electronically in a safe way and having the control of the use that the employees make with the certificates. This was achieved thanks to the implementation of IvSign, a platform for issuing and centralizing digital certificates.
Many companies are becoming aware of the importance of having digital tools that allow the continuity of their processes, especially now with the need to work remotely. – Sergio Ruiz, CEO Ivnosys.
The tool records a complete audit to know the use made by the employees with the certificates. This, together with the time stamping system, allows the company to know when and where users access and what they do. In addition, its use can be restricted according to preferences such as: the websites visited, the browser used, etc.
Given the large size of AON and the high number of notifications they handle, the agreement also included the implementation of the IvNeos electronic notification manager.
The management and review of notifications from all public administrations was a routine task involving a high workload. IvNeos has made it possible to manage the letterboxes of all Public Administrations in a single box and with just one click. In addition, employees can download and respond to notifications directly without leaving the platform. As an added value, AON has notification redirection flows so that each department automatically receives the notifications according to the issuing bodies, geographical area, among other variables.
Completing the commitment to digitalization in communications with third parties, AON uses the electronic signature with IvCert for the processing of all types of documents and contracts. Thus, employees send all types of documents for recipients to sign and validate them digitally. The tool collects evidence of sending and delivery, guaranteeing maximum security in signed documents, even surpassing the validity of a handwritten signature.
The digital transformation process developed over these years has allowed us, in these exceptional circumstances, to maintain the continuity of our operations, and to avoid interruption in the processes of signing contracts and interactions with customers, suppliers and public bodies (J. Salvadores, Director of Aon’s Legal Department in Iberia and the Middle East)
The multinational has been helped by Ivnosys for this digital boost of its internal processes, being a Qualified Trusted Electronic Service Provider and complying with the highest security standards established in the European regulation eIDAS 910/2014.
Are Spanish companies prepared to telework safely? For example, why don’t we sign documents remotely? For clients, workers, suppliers, banks, insurance companies…
Thinking about teleworking is a great advantage in situations where there is a risk, such as the recent case of the coronavirus. There are numerous tools that make it possible without endangering the security of the organisation or causing employees to lose control of their activities.
But one thing is what technology allows us to do and another is what we actually do with it.
In Spain we have not been very proactive with this option. But in view of the rapid spread of the new virus, the Ministry of Labour has published a basic guide for companies and workers with recommendations for action in the event of possible cases of coronavirus. One of the measures that is being considered is the possibility of teleworking to avoid contagion among employees. And others such as the suspension of activity, which most companies cannot afford.
As a result of these recommendations, companies have been alarmed. Many companies are looking for tools that allow their employees to work from home in a safe and controlled way, and without having to stop the activity of the company.
Since the warning of the coronavirus and the cases of contagion, Ivnosys has noticed the growing demand from companies interested in our solutions that allow them to offer their employees the possibility of teleworking. Always promoting digital identity management with the peace of mind of controlling the processes and security of the organization”. – Jaime Castelló, CEO of Ivnosys
Telework is possible and effective and is more than proven in the European context. As Ivnosys has been doing since its inception. The option of being able to manage tasks from anywhere is one of the maxims that Ivnosys achieves with the idea of its products. Moreover, the company is the first one to carry it out with its own workers.
We must invest more in adapting our culture to the possibilities of the century in which we live. And this is Ivnosys’ main task. We have essential tools that are useful for teleworking, that encourage the management and securitization of the digital identity, in order to
For example, a company that has a digital certificate centralisation platform such as IvSign, will be able to centralise, manage and control the use made of them by employees. It will also be able to consult in real time the electronic evidence on who, when and where each employee accesses the certificate. In addition to the records of other procedures such as document signature and access to electronic sites by employees, which is another advantage.
It is essential to have the most secure types of electronic signature in accordance with eIDAS regulations in order to guarantee the legal validity and non-repudiation of electronic communications and transactions. Without doubt, this is an essential aspect for protecting the digital identity of organisations. – Sergio Ruiz, CEO of Ivnosys
More in favour of technology, we should know that it is compulsory to manage the documentation with the Public Administrations electronically. Can you make it easier for us?
It is therefore important to secure electronic transactions by ensuring that communications are not repudiated, as Sergio Ruiz states. But how?
Thus, we say goodbye to the tedious task of having to go platform by platform, or site by site, either in person or digitally, to each Public Administration to see if we have any notification or not and to see which department we should redirect it to.
In short, we must learn to make intelligent use of technology in the professional environment. There are many advantages in terms of digital security and electronic management, both with users inside and outside the organisation, which make teleworking possible.
From Ivnosys, we encourage you to try our digital solutions. We ensure the protection of digital identities and electronic transactions thanks to the centralization of digital certificates and more secure remote signature types. Always in favour of promoting the comfort, reliability and trust of users, through tools that make their lives easier, optimizing their time and protecting their electronic information.
