A smart card: Hongkong Post General Manager, Electronic Services, Allen Mok explains e-Cert's many advantages.

In the real world, we can use our smart ID cards to identify ourselves. But how can we deal securely in cyberspace?

Recently, cyber crime, like fake online auctions and fraudulent websites, has increased. So when we conduct online business, how do we know people are really who they claim to be? How can we better protect ourselves from these cyber fraudsters?

To eliminate these worries, under the Government's ID card replacement exercise, Hongkong Post offers smartcard holders a year's free usage of the e-Cert within the card.

Hongkong Post General Manager, Electronic Services, Allen Mok said an e-Cert serves as an online identity card. It authenticates the online identity of the user and enables electronic commerce to be conducted securely.

Encryption and decryption ensure the information transmitted is not tampered with, thus providing top security, confidentiality and integrity.

"With the digital signature offered by the e-Cert, one can prove they are the right person for doing the online transaction," Mr Mok said.

"Under the Electronic Transactions Ordinance, digital signatures have the same legal status as their paper-based counterparts. Digital signatures are protected by law."

With the e-Cert, you can use your smart card to enjoy various online services. These include e-Government services, like changing your address, applying for a driving licence or registering as a voter.

You can also enjoy various commercial online services, such as e-banking, online stock trading, shopping, auctions and betting.

The latest service available is online access to personal credit reports. All 35 authorised institutions offering e-banking services now have digital certificates installed on their e-banking servers to allow customers to verify the authenticity of the websites.

Hongkong Post has been issuing the e-Cert since January 2000. As at October, over 220,000 e-Certs have been issued. Among them, over 60,000 are e-Certs in smart ID cards.