Estonian Review
A holder of an ID-card gave the 100 000 000th digital signatuure at 17:27:54 on Monday, 3 December. In one day up to 125 000 digital signatuures are given, spokespeople for the Estonian Information System Authority (RIA) said.

"One hundred million digital signatures testifies that we have entered a new phase in conducting business electronically. While several other countries are still only thinking about public e-services and the means needed for using them, we have implemented a working system," RIA director general Jaan Priisalu said. He added that the ID-card still has potential for broader use, for example in encryption. "At a time when people and organisations move more and more confidential information over the internet, the ID-card is a very effective tool to ensure privacy," he said.

The head of AS Sertifitseerimiskeskus (Certification Centre), Kalev Pihl, observed that the use of the ID-card for both identity authentication and digital signature has steadily increased over the past decade. "The electronic functions of the ID-card are used by around half a million people and 100 million digital signatures have been given, so it follows that these solutions are very necessary and accessible to users," he said.

Since 2002 the ID-card has been used 164 million times for authentication of identity. Personalised data about users are pursuant to law made public only by way of exception, therefore the identity of the person who gave the 100 000 000th digital signature will not be established.

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