Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) in HKU

The HKU Digital Certificate (HKU-Cert) and Applications

The Computer Centre is going to set up the HKU Certification Authority (CA) in September 2000, after the beta testing period which has started since April 2000. The HKU CA will issue digital certificates (HKU-Cert) and the corresponding private keys to University staff and students. The HKU-Cert will be used in HKU Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) applications which use digital signatures, and in e-mail programs which support the use of digital signatures and encryption of e-mail messages.

The HKU CA is built on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technologies. Click here for a brief description of the basic mechanism of the PKI technologies.

How to Get a HKU-Cert in September 2000

HKU-Cert Issuance Stations will be set up in the Computer Centre.

A HKU staff or student must apply for the HKU-Cert in person. He has to sign the HKU-Cert Subscriber Agreement that he, as a HKU-Cert subscriber, will take good care of the private key issued to him. The private key will be written on the spot on his HKU Staff or Student Smart Card and on a business-card-size CD-R (read-only CD) to be given to him. Access to the private key on the HKU Smart Card or CD-R will be protected by a password chosen by and known to the subscriber only.

HKU staff and students can use their private keys to sign in the HKU ESD applications. Signing using the private key stored on a HKU Smart Card is done at specific PCs installed with smart card readers. This provides the best security. For convenience, some applications accept signing using private key stored on a CD-R so that the user can sign at any PC with a CD reader, say, at the office, in the computer laboratories, in residential halls or from home.

HKU staff and students can also import their private keys and other people's digital certificates (e.g. HKU-Cert, HK Post e-Cert) to e-mail programs which support digital signature and encryption.

Coming HKU ESD Applications

The use of electronic signatures will speed up the work flow from an end-user filling in a web-based form to the final completion of the process. This will eliminate the requirement of written signatures and handling of paper forms, and increase the productivity of all the parties involved.

The following ESD applications relating to Computer Centre's service will be rolled out initially:

Purchase of Computer Centre Laser-printing Units by students and staff
Purchase of software licenses, computer consumables and accessory items offered by Computer Centre
Application for special computer accounts -- the users need not come to the Computer Centre to submit the paper application forms

We are also working with the administrative offices to develop other ESD applications which could include Staff Long Leave Application, Staff Local Education Allowance, Online Submission of Course Enrollment Changes from Faculty Offices to the Registry, etc. These applications will be rolled out later.

ESD applications should also be useful for departments to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their management processes. Departments interested in exploring the use of digital signature technology for departmental applications can contact the undersigned for more information.

User Education and Training

We shall organize presentation sessions on PKI and ESD applications, and training courses on:

how to sign in HKU ESD applications,
how to install a private key and digital certificates in e-mail programs,
how to sign, encrypt and decrypt e-mail messages.

More details will be announced via electronic mail to our staff and students when the actual date of roll out is fixed. If you would like to know more about the HKU CA and HKU-Cert, please contact the undersigned.

M. C. Pong
Tel: 2859 2491
E-mail: pmc@cc.hku.hk

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