IT Law Journal

administrator January 3rd, 2005

Lexicon of Cyberlaw Terminology

(This will be a regular section to acquaint law practitioners, students and researchers on legal terms in IT law preferably from the Philippine context).

“Certificate” means an electronic document issued to support a digital signature which purports to confirm the identity or other significant characteristics of the person who holds a particular key pair.(Section 1[c], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Digital Signature” refers to an electronic signature consisting of a transformation of an electronic document or an electronic data message using an asymmetric or public cryptosystem such that a person having the initial untransformed electronic document and the signer’s public key can accurately determine: (i) whether the transformation was created using the private key that corresponds to the signer’s public key; and (ii) whether the initial electronic document had been altered after the transformation was made. (Section 1[e], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Digitally signed” refers to an electronic document or electronic data message bearing a digital signature verified by the public key listed in a certificate. (Section 1[f], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Electronic signature” refers to any distinctive mark, characteristics and/or sound in electronic form. Representing the identity of a person and attached to or logically associated with the electronic data message or electronic document or any methodology or procedure employed or adopted by a person and executed or adopted by such person with the intention of authenticating, signing or approving an electronic data message or electronic document. For purposes of these Rules, an electronic signature includes digital signatures. (Section 1[j], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Electronic key” refers to a secret code which secures and defends sensitive information that crosses over public channels into a form decipherable only with a matching electronic key. (Section 1[i], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Asymmetric or public cryptosystem” means a system capable of generating a secure key pair, consisting of a private key for creating a digital signature, and a public key for verifying the digital signature. (Section 1[a], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Key Pair” in an asymmetric cryptosystem refers to the private key and its mathematically related public key such that the latter can verify the digital signature that the former creates. (Section 1[m], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Private Key” refers to the key of a key pair used to create a digital signature. (Section 1[n], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

“Public Key” refers to the key of a key pair used to verify a digital signature. (Section 1[o], Rule 2, Rules on Electronic Evidence)

• ITLJ 2-1
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