Why have a digital ID?

• digitally sign e-mail messages and certain on-line forms
• authenticates the sender - one is sure who sent the message
• guarantees that messages are unaltered
• is a legal signature in the State of Texas
• encrypt e-mail messages, including attachments, so that only intended receipts can view content
• have a single password for accessing ALL resources using digital IDs
• used instead of userid/password to gain access to restricted resources
• access, complete, and "sign" on-line forms, licenses and agreements.

What is it?

• A digital ID consists of a private/public key pair in which the public key is certified by a certification authority.
• The certification authority "vouches" for the identity of the "owner".
• The private key is kept secret by the owner. Only you must know the password to unlock the private key.
• The public key and attached certificate are publicly available.
• U. T. Houston is a certificate authority within The University of Texas System Public Key Infrastructure.
• The certificate is like a passport in that it identifies the person to whom the public key belongs.

 
• A more thorough discussion of digital IDs and their use within a public key infrastructure (PKI) is available.