Who is A-SIT?

A-SIT is a non-profit association. Members have to be public institutions, so the associations’ strict neutrality, freedom from directives and independence is assured.

What is the role of A-SIT?

A-SIT engages itself competent, neutral und reputable with the current state of technical information security. Such an institution is absolutely necessary, as otherwise the evaluation of security in Austria would be left to foreign or commercial organisations with respective self-interests. Exaggerated: Private financial interests could define what security is.

A-SIT helps to effectively conquer phenomena’s such as electronic fraud and data misuse.

Which topics are in the focus of A-SIT?

Highlights are:

• Tasks as a conformation body: Issuance of certifications and confirmations as well as assisting the supervision body in technical matters.
• Creating reports for products and systems in the area of electronic signatures.
• Monitoring the IT-security of electronic payment systems and IT-products and systems.
• E-Government (e.g. Assistance for the citizen card and development of tools).
• Promoting technology monitoring and public awareness (e.g. Analysis of cryptographic methods, signature algorithms, biometric methods, electronic identities and electronic voting).
• Security assistance: Assisting members and public organisations in comprehensive IT-security topics (e.g. Austrian information security handbook, Regulation for the seizure and evaluation of electronic evidence).
• Participation in EU-wide standardisation and scientific enhancement of electronic business and legal relations, commonly with similar organisations in other countries.
• Expert tasks at international organisations (OECD, Council of Europe, CEN/ISSS, ETSI, Smart Card Charter, European Commission,…) in the area of electronic signatures.

Does A-SIT offer certificates for simple or qualified signatures?

No.

• Trust service providers are organisations, which operate facilities for electronic signatures. At the start of their operation they have to notify the Telekom Control Kommission as responsible supervision authority. The Austrian Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH (RTR) provides a list of trust service providers operating in Austria. The RTR executes operative functions of the supervision in appointment by the Telekom Control Kommission.
• A-SIT is a conformity body (cf. §7 SVG) and is tasked to confirm the security of components and methods for qualified signatures, as well as to advice the supervision authority (Telekom Control Kommission) in technical questions.
• A-SIT is not a trusted service provider and is therefore neither offering simple (e.g. S/MIME certificates to sign e-mails) nor qualified certificates for signatures.