Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!ukc!pyrltd!root44!praxis!cdh
From: cdh@praxis.co.uk (Chris Hayward)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: Paperless office
Message-ID: <5402@newton.praxis.co.uk>
Date: 4 Oct 90 15:59:04 GMT
References: <9010031156.AA26927@encore.encore.com> <27479@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Organization: Praxis, Bath, U.K.
Lines: 32

In article <9010031156.AA26927@encore.encore.com> DAVISM@ATSUVAX1.BITNET ("Michael N. Davis") writes:
[..]
>                            Anything that must be signed must be on
>paper.  Electronic copies of contracts, etc, are not binding because
>it is so easy to copy a signature onto another document electronically.
>How will this problem ever be resolved?

Surely we must go back to what preceded the signature for an answer.
What we must develop is some form of electronic signet ring - some
form of data marker which can be added to a document as a sign that it
has been read and approved by the appropriate authority. To be valid,
this device must:

- encode some feature of the document itself (eg a checksum or CRC) to
avoid the possibility of tampering;

- encode the timestamp or date of the document.

The encoding itself should be based on some encryption system using a
key carried (eg as a smart-card) by the person. The mark carried by
the document will be undecipherable, but able to be checked back
against the smart-card in case of dispute. 

Such a system would prove at least as flexible and secure as  the
signed/sealed combo is.

In fact, it's such a good idea I think I'll patent it. The following
marker proves that I certified this document on 4th October 1990:

Seal of authority: 354GIE560.

Chris