Do I need a digital certificate?

You will need a digital certificate if you are planning to use OFTP2 or AS2 communications with your trading partners (including HMRC).

For confidential information such as payroll files, or sensitive data such as orders, invoices and engineering files, the use of a digital certificate will ensure that nobody but the intended recipient can read the file, and the recipient will know that the file came from you and has not been read or altered by anybody else.

Why should I buy a certificate from a Certification Authority?

Digital certificates underpin the security infrastructure of the internet. Most users will have seen internet security as a padlock symbol on their browser when they are buying something online over a secure connection. Some people will have seen digital certificates as a result of individuals signing emails. However, in many cases, email signatures are generated from free certificates, which provide no genuine proof of authenticity.

Industry and commerce, however, need digital certificates in which they can have confidence and which address their business requirements. The use of trusted digital certificates from a Certification Authority is therefore an intrinsic part of the operation of OFTP2 and AS2 software. 

Where can I obtain a digital certificate?

For more details about our own Certificate Service, COMCERT, please click here