About Box

The About Box displays version information for BankID Security Application.

BankID is a software product that allows you to:

• Sign electronic documents: e.g. e-mail, bank details and important company documents
• Securely authenticate yourself to Web sites: e.g. to access your bank account or intranet solutions, with a smart card or a soft token.

BankID also allows you to manage your digital identity tokens, in order to change PIN codes and import/export soft tokens between different computers.

For further help and support, please refer to your BankID supplier.

Application Window

BankID main application window is divided into two functional areas:

Viewing Tokens

To view the content of your tokens you need to select a token in the list and either double click on it or by selecting View option under the Token section in the menu toolbar.

Your tokens are shown in the main application window. Tokens are displayed in different ways depending on token type and store type:

• Smart card - The token is stored on your smart card
• Token stored in a file - A document with a padlock indicates that the token is stored in the Internal Store
• Token stored in a file - A document without a padlock indicates that the token is stored on the computer but not stored in the Internal Store.

Managing Tokens

A token can include one or more digital certificates. Besides user certificates, there can also be one or more CA (Certification Authority) certificates.

To view the contents of a token either double click on the token in the listview or mark a token and then select the View option under the Token menu in the menu toolbar.

When right-clicking on the token you can also choose Delete, Change or Unblock password.

Password

It is possible to change the password of your token and if you have a smart card you might also have the option to unblock your PIN. You do this by right-clicking the token or selecting the Change PIN option in the Token menu.

Language settings

Language

Available languages: English and Swedish

To change the language in BankID Security Application you need to edit the Personal.cfg configuration file that you access by writing the followin in a new terminal window:

$ > gedit .personal/config/Personal.cfg

Since the default language is set to Swedish you need to change the following line in the Personal.cfg file under the [GUI]-section to enable English as the default language:

> From:
Language=Swedish

To:
#Language=Swedish

List available tokens

Start a new terminal window.

Now start the admin tool.

> persadm

Nu visas en lista med tillgängliga funktioner:

list: list available tokens
import: import a token to protected store
export: export a token from protected store

List available tokens

> persadm list

A list with available commands and parameters will appear:

Available Tokens:

0: Anders Andersson Manufacturer: Lorem Ibsum AB
> 1: Linda Eriksson Manufacturer: Lorem Ibsum AB

Export token

Start a new terminal window.

Now start the admin tool.

> persadm

A list with available commands and parameters will appear:

list: list available tokens
import: import a token to protected store
export: export a token from protected store

Export:

To start the export of a token you write the following command:

> persadm export

Available Tokens:

0: John Doe Manufacturer: Lorem Ibsum AB
> 1: Jane Doe Manufacturer: Lorem Ibsum AB

Choose token: >

Choose the number corresponding to the token that you want to export from the list. Then you need to enter the PIN to that token.

Choose token: > 0
Choose PIN: > ****

Now enter the path to the USB drive that the token will be exported to. Remember that the drive must be initialized and exist prior to export.

Choose token: > 0
Choose PIN: > ****
Enter export directory (must exist): > /media/<name of USB drive>

If the export of the token has been successful the following message will be shown:

Successfully exported token

If the export of the token is unsuccessful the following message will be shown:

Failed to export token

Importing tokens

Start a new terminal window.

Now start the admin tool.

> persadm

A list with available commands and parameters will appear:

list: list available tokens
import: import a token to protected store
export: export a token from protected store

Import:

To start the import of a token you write the following command:

> persadm import

Now you enter the path, including the name, to the token that you want to import (import works from all drives visible in Linux).

Enter path to token to import: > /media/<path to token>/John Doe.nge

You will now be prompted to enter the PIN of token intended for import:

Enter path to token to import: > /media/<path to token>/John Doe.nge
Enter pin: > ****

If the import was successful this message should appear:

Successfully imported token

If the import should fail the following error message should be shown:

Failed to import token

To verify that the token has in fact been imported you could either use the list function in the persadm-tool or you can open the BankID GUI, where your newly imported token should appear:

John Doe Imported

PIN Management

The function Change PIN under the Token menu in the menu toolbar or using the contextmenu option Change password, available when right-clicking on a token, can be used to change the password of a token.

In BankID you can change the PIN code(s) of smart cards and soft tokens stored either in the Internal Store or in a file.

To change the PIN code, the token must be selected in the list followed by the Change PIN or Change password option. In the follewing dialog the Old PIN followed by New PIN must be entered. You will also need to reenter the new PIN in the Confirm new PIN text box.

PIN(s) used with smart cards might become blocked if an incorrect PIN is entered a certain number of times.

Unblock PIN

The PIN code may be blocked if the wrong PIN code is entered too many times when trying to authenticate, sign or when changing the PIN code.

Delete Tokens

To delete a token you need to select one in the list and then chose to right-click and select the Delete option in the context menu or by selecting the Delete option under the Token menu in the manu toolbar

Registration

As a part of a registration process, you may be asked to enter a Token name and PIN code. The Token name will be the name that BankID displays when the user is expected to select a token. The PIN code will be used to protect the content of the token.

User Authentication

Tokens can be used to authenticate a user to a secure Web site. BankID is automatically activated when the user performs an action that requires authentication, i.e., input of password. The authentication dialog is shown whenever a user authentication has been requested by an application.

Other situations handled in a similar way occur:

• when a smart card is to be updated
• when another program requests a certificate.

Depending on the type of web browser, different functions are invoked when the user tries to access a secure site, e.g. when entering https://<siteaddress> in the address field.

If Netscape or a Mozilla-based webb browser is used, BankID PKCS#11 is invoked.

Normally, but not always, the first dialog box is displayed (optionally) and you must choose a digital certificate. Then the second dialog box is displayed and you will have to present the PIN code.

Signing Electronic Documents

To sign the electronic document shown in the message window, you should select which token/certificate to use, enter the PIN code and click the Sign button otherwise click Cancel. The data to be signed is displayed in the signature window if displayed at all. Click the View button to see the data to be signed in a separate window. The data may also be saved by clicking the Save button.

Web Application Login

When a secure Web server requests client authentication, the user will have to select an authentication certificate and then to present a PIN code.

Se also:

Glossary

Disclaimer

Some terms were taken from RSA Security, Inc. and computer dictionary web sites such as http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/, http://www.webopaedia.com/ (Copyright, 2001. INT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.), and http://www.computeruser.com/resources/dictionary/dictionary.html.

API

Stands for Application Program Interface. An API specifies the set of methods offered by a software library to any application.

Application Program Interface

See "API".

CA

Stands for Certification Authority. It can be any trusted central administration, which issues certificates and that is willing to guarantee the identity of those who receive them and their association with a given key. It can be, for example, a government-run agency or bank.

CA Certificate

A certificate for the public key of a CA.

CA Key

RSA key pair generated for the CA.

Cache

A temporary storage area for frequently or recently accessed data. In terms of browser security, the keys are "cached". This means that those keys that allow you to access secure servers are temporarily stored in memory for easy retrieval.

Card

See "Smart Card".

Card Reader

A hardware device used to read smart cards.

Cipher Text

Data that has been encrypted and is unreadable until it has been decrypted with a key.

Certificate

A certificate is equivalent to a digital identification card and contains a unique code for the specified user, where the main purpose is to verify that the user sending a message is the one he or she claims to be.

Certification Authority

See "CA".

Client Authentication

The process of verifying a claimed identity, via the protocol SSL.

Cryptography

The act of transforming data (see "Encryption") into an unreadable format. The only way to read the data is by possessing a secret key, which is usually stored in a token (see also "Token")

Decryption

The translation of encrypted data back to its original data by way of using a password or key (see also "Encryption").

Digital Certificate

See "Certificate".

Digital Identity Token

A digital identity token is either a smart card or a soft token that can be used to prove the identity of user.

Digital Signature

A digital code that can be attached to an electronically transmitted message that uniquely identifies the sender.

DLL

A library of executable functions or data that can be used by a Windows application. The files are denoted with a .DLL extension.

Dynamic Link Library

See "DLL".

Encryption

The translation of data to a secret code that can only be decrypted (or translated back to original data) and read by the use of a password or a key (see also "Decryption").

Export

The Export function allows you to copy your token to a file in order to use the token in another computer or to backup the file for safe keeping.

HTTPS

The protocol for accessing a secure Web server. Using HTTPS in the URL instead of HTTP directs the message to a secure port number rather than the default Web port number. The session is then managed by a security protocol.

Import

The Import function in BankID allows you to import your PKCS#12 digital identity tokens into the Internal Store.

Internal Store

The Internal Store is a Trusted Store offering a higher level of security than a regular file. Soft tokens should thus be imported into the Trusted Store unless the higher flexibility of a regular file is needed, e.g. when moving the file with the soft token between computers.

Key

A string of bits used widely in cryptography, allowing people to encrypt and decrypt data.

Key Length

The length of the RSA keys used for actions such as signing, encrypting and decrypting messages.

Non-repudiation

In terms of digital security, this is a form of protection that secures that a payment or transaction has occurred. The transaction cannot be falsely denied due to the use of a digital signature.

BankID Identification Number Code

See "PIN Code".

PIN Code

Stands for BankID Identification Number code. When using a token to encrypt or digitally sign data, you enter your PIN in a dialog box to initiate the encryption or attach your digital certificate to the data.

PIN Unblocking Key Code

See "PUK Code".

PKCS #7

Public Key Cryptography Standard Number 7. Defines a general syntax for messages including cryptographic elements, e.g., digital signatures and digital envelopes. (Definition taken from "RSA Data Security, Inc. Public-Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS)". Copyright © 1996-1999 RSA Laboratories, a division of RSA Data Security, Inc., a Security Dynamics Company)

PKCS #11

Public Key Cryptography Standard Number 11. Specifies a generic API to devices (such as smart cards) that hold cryptographic information and perform cryptographic functions. Thereby, it isolates an application from the details and type of the cryptographic device. (Definition taken from "RSA Data Security, Inc. Public-Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS)". Copyright © 1996-1999 RSA Laboratories, a division of RSA Data Security, Inc., a Security Dynamics Company)

PKCS #12

Public Key Cryptography Standard Number 12. Describes a transfer syntax for personal identity information, and includes private keys, certificates, miscellaneous secrets, and extensions. Machines, applications, browsers, Internet kiosks, and so on, that support this standard will allow a user to import, export, and exercise a single set of personal identity information. (Definition taken from "RSA Data Security, Inc. Public-Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS)". Copyright © 1996-1999 RSA Laboratories, a division of RSA Data Security, Inc., a Security Dynamics Company)

Public Key

A key that is known by everyone. In a cryptographic system, two keys are used, a private and public key. For example, John uses Jane's public key to send her an encrypted email. Jane uses a private key to decrypt it.

PUK Code