Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 4 - ADMINISTRATION
Part I - General Provisions
Chapter 7 - Implementation of Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act- P.L. 106-229
Section I-707 - Definitions

A. The following words and terms, when used in this Section, shall have the following meanings unless the context expressly indicates otherwise.

Asymmetric Cryptosystem -a computer-based system that employs two different but mathematically related keys with the following characteristics:

a. one key encrypts a given message;

b. one key decrypts a given message; and

c. the keys have the property that, knowing one key, it is computationally infeasible to discover the other key.

a. identifies the certification authority issuing it;

b. names or identifies its subscriber;

c. contains the subscriber's public key;

d. identifies its operational period;

e. is digitally signed by the certification authority issuing it; and

f. conforms to ISO X.509 Version 3 standards.

Certificate Manufacturer -a person that provides operational services for a certification authority or PKI service provider. The nature and scope of the obligations and functions of a certificate manufacturer depend on contractual arrangements between the certification authority or other PKI service provider and the certificate manufacturer.

Certificate Policy -a document prepared by a policy authority that describes the parties, scope of business, functional operations, and obligations between and among PKI service providers and end entities who engage in electronic transactions in a public key infrastructure.

Certification Authority -a person who issues a certificate.

Certification Practice Statement -documentation of the practices, procedures, and controls employed by a certification authority.

Digital Signature -an electronic identifier intended by the person using it to have the same force and effect as the use of a manual signature, and that complies with the requirements of this Section.

Digitally-Signed Communication -a message that has been processed by a computer in such a manner that ties the message to the individual that signed the message.

End Entities -subscribers or signers and relying parties.

Escrow Agent -a person who holds a copy of a private key at the request of the owner of the private key in a trustworthy manner.

Handwriting Measurements -the metrics of the shapes, speeds and/or other distinguishing features of a signature as the person writes it by hand with a pen or stylus on a flat surface.

Key Pair -a private key and its corresponding public key in an asymmetric cryptosystem. The keys have the property that the public key can verify a digital signature that the private key creates.

Local Government -a parish, municipality, special district, or other political subdivision of this state, or a combination of two or more of those entities.

Message -a digital representation of information.

Person -an individual, state agency, local government, corporation, partnership, association, organization, or any other legal entity.

PKI -Public Key Infrastructure.

PKI Service Provider -a certification authority, certificate manufacturer, registrar, or any other person that performs services pertaining to the issuance or verification of certificates.

Policy Authority -a person with final authority and responsibility for specifying a certificate policy.

Private Key -the key of a key pair used to create a digital signature.

Proof of Identification -the document or documents or other evidence presented to a certification authority to establish the identity of a subscriber.

Public Key -the key of a key pair used to verify a digital signature.

Public Key Cryptography -a type of cryptographic technology that employs an asymmetric cryptosystem.

Registrar -a person that gathers evidence necessary to confirm the accuracy of information to be included in a subscriber's certificate.

Relying Party -a state agency that has received an electronic message that has been signed with a digital signature and is in a position to rely on the message and signature.

Role-Based Key -a key pair issued to a person to use when acting in a particular business or organizational capacity.

Signature Digest -the resulting bit-string produced when a signature is tied to a document using signature dynamics.

Signer -the person who signs a digitally signed communication with the use of an acceptable technology to uniquely link the message with the person sending it.

State Agency -a department, commission, board, office, council, or other agency in the executive branch of state government that is created by the constitution, executive order, or a statute of this state. Higher education, the legislature and the judiciary are to be considered state agencies to the extent that the communication is pursuant to a state law applicable to such entities.

a. is the subject listed in a certificate;

b. accepts the certificate; and

c. holds a private key which corresponds to a public key listed in that certificate.

Technology -the computer hardware and/or software-based method or process used to create digital signatures.

Written Electronic Communication -a message that is sent by one person to another person.