While most private companies remain undecided about using public key encryption and decryption technologies as well as digital certificates, the Philippine government has taken the lead in implementing these Internet security measures.
Luis Gopez, general manager of mySecureSign Inc., the country’s only certificate authority (CA) and local partner of Internet security provider VeriSign Inc., said the government is leading the installation of public key infrastructure (PKI) locally. PKI is a set of technologies and processes that allow secure online transactions between applications, and communication over an open network such as the Internet.
He explained that the E-Commerce Act mandate for the government – to provide electronic transactions in the delivery of its services – is one of the drivers for the strong take-up of PKI in the public sector.
The first to install PKI locally were the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) and the Commission on Audit (COA). PSE uses mySecureSign’s enterprise security solution to secure its real-time, browser-based Online Disclosure System (ODiSy), while COA utilizes the technology to secure transactions using the new electronic National Government Accounting System (NGAS).
Lala Camacho, mySecureSign’s enterprise sales head, said the installation of
PKI in other government agencies is already being discussed. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Land Bank of the Philippines, for instance, are considering using PKI.
Gopez said his firm is also considering tapping PKI to secure the Government Electronic Procurement System (G-EPS), a project of the Department of Budget and Management.