Tokyo – April 23, 2009 – SEIKO Precision and GlobalSign have agreed to a partnership in their time-stamp and digital signature businesses.

 

　SEIKO Precision will provide a time-stamp service designed for GlobalSign that allows the company to develop more scalable services. The time-stamp service can be used in large-scale, large capacity digital signature solutions, an application difficult to achieve with existing time-stamp services. GlobalSign has plans to release a PDF document sign solution for large servers. (Service name to be announced)

　At the same time, trusted Root CA (*1), GlobalSign will certify the SEIKO Time-stamp Authority, time-stamp service allowing the time-stamp to be used worldwide. The SEIKO Time-stamp Authority, time-stamp, until now available only in Japan will be expanded worldwide to certify electronic documents in all countries.  

(*1) Root CA: A Root Certificate Authority issues certificates to other certificate authorities; it is the trust anchor for the certificate authority

　Going forward SEIKO Holdings and GMO Internet Group companies will introduce Adobe CDS to secure electronically distributed IR data and other information. While striving to improve trust in IT management and internal controls, the two entities promote Adobe CDS to public companies and government institutions.

　Other PDF document signing solutions require software, a plugin, changes to Adobe Reader settings, custom PDF viewing software or some kind of action on behalf of the document recipient, so distribution is limited to specific recipients. 

　GlobalSign PDF Document Signing for Adobe CDS(*2) is the only solution that allows a digitally signed or certified PDF document to be read without making any changes to Adobe Reader settings or installing additional software. This allows the PDF document to be distributed more widely, with certification that it has not been tampered with and that it is authentic. The time-stamp issued by the SEIKO Time-stamp Authority makes it possible to officially verify when a document was created by attaching to the digital signature not the time set on the local PC of a random user, but a certifiable time set in accordance with global standards.  

(*2) GlobalSign is the only Adobe CDS provider in Japan

 

　A time-stamp service certified by Japan Data Communications Association as required to comply with laws regarding electronic documents. The service certifies the date electronic data was created and verifies that it has not been tampered with, using Japanese time and encryption technology. This technology can be used to protect intellectual property, medical records, email, and other electric documents.  

GlobalSign: GlobalSign PDF Document Signing for Adobe CDS

GlobalSign: Time Stamps for Code Signing Certification

SEIKO Precision: Accredited time-stamp service compliant with electronic document laws. (*2)

(*2) Japan Data Communications Association

　SEIKO Precision is an operating company of SEIKO HOLDINGS CORPORATION (est. 1881) and covers two business areas: Electronic devices business and Solution business. In the electronic devices business, the company develops advanced products including shutters for digital cameras using the company's opto-mechatronics technology and other related products in response to demand in a rapidly changing market.  In the solutions business, under the slogan "Traceable Secure Solutions," the company, as a solution provider, offers necessary software and hardware to all fields in which traceability and security are required.  "SEIKO Time-stamp Authority, time-stamp service" offers time-based traceability and security.

 

　The GlobalSign Certificate Authority has been providing digital authentication services to Belgium since the industry first emerged more than ten years ago. Customers include a number of Belgian government agencies and the GlobalSign Certificate Authority operates many prestigious government projects such as eID*(BELPIC). We are recognized as the Belgian Government Certificate Authority. GlobalSign became a member of the GMO Internet Group in 2006 and is expanding sales of government-level security Japan and worldwide.

(*3) eID: A citizen ID card. This is the first stage of the e-government project in Belgium. The ID card containing a digital certificate is distributed to all Belgian citizens over the age of 12.

* Adobe and Adobe Reader are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the US and other countries.

* SEIKO is a registered trademark of SEIKO HOLDINGS CORPORATION.