Frequently asked questions

Services

What services does Evicertia offer?

Evicertia offers electronic notifications, signature and custody services, as well as digital identification. Our product portfolio is assembled as follows:

Certified electronic signature
  • Online contracting.

  • Electronical signature of contracts through any device, among several signatories, and with total security.

  • Signing through a tablet. Through electronic contracting, you can sign your documents digitally using a tablet device that captures the handwritten signature securely.

Certified communications
  • Certified e-mail.

  • Certified SMS.

  • Due notifications (through e-mail or SMS).

  • Postal service.

  • Certified e-mail with postal delivery.

Custody and evidence analysis
  • Custody and evidence analysis. It consists of a service that allows the collection of large volumes of data in order to conduct searches, research and generate electronic evidences of business processes.

Digital Identification
  • It is a service that allows identifying a person from a distance, validating the identity document provided and comparing the image of that document with the image of the person who is performing the onboarding process.

How much do Evicertia services cost?

Evicertia offers different contracting models according to the needs of each user:

  • Prepaid Rate: It is designed for exceptional or sporadic use. The balance considered is charged and it is consumed as the services are used.

  • Monthly Flat Rate: Different monthly plans are offered that adapt to the volume of files that you want to send, among other variables, such as the number of users and the MB sent.

  • Large Accounts: For customers with large volumes and special needs, Evicertia offers custom solutions based on the volume, technical specifications and the kind of service they want to contract.

We recommend to contact the Evicertia commercial team to develop a custom plan.

Can I try Evicertia services for free?

Yes. You can try the services for free registering as a user in the following registration link.

You will have a limited number of communications or signatures with which to make real tests, since the services are the same as you would use later.

You will be notified by the system once you have reached the limit. If more credit is needed to perform additional tests, you can ask for it by contacting us.

How do I contract? Which is the best rate for me?

If you are a SME, a freelance worker or a private individual, you can hire our services through the web at the following link. You can also do it through the rate page by choosing the plan that suits you most and through each of the product sections. Payment is made by credit card in a secure way.

If you are looking for custom solutions or you belong to a large company, professional association or institution, contact our commercial team directly, who will help you choosing the most appropriate contracting solution according to your needs. You can contact us.

Is it necessary to install something on my computer?

No installation is needed to enjoy the services offered by Evicertia, as they are always available on the web through our platform https://app.evicertia.com. You just need to register, or log in if you were already registered, and start using Evicertia like any other usual Internet service.

Apart from this solution, in the case of large companies, Evicertia allows integration with the management system used to automate notification deliveries or signature requests, export the necessary data, get real-time information, integrate with your document manager, CRM… Do not hesitate to contact us if you want this service.

Legality

Is the use of Evicertia legal?

Yes. All the services offered by Evicertia are specifically designed to ease legal compliance in the countries where we operate. Evicertia has also been the first and only company in the sector whose electronic certification services have been recognized by the Supreme Court of Spain. (Sea news in Diario Jurídico. Sea news in Expansión.)

It is important to note that Evicertia is the service chosen by Colegio Federado de Ingenieros de Costa Rica and ENISA (Ministry of Industry of Spain), as well as many other large multinationals, HR contracting entities, financial and insurance entities and telecommunications operators. These, due to their high requirement levels, have obviously made the corresponding legal and security analyzes before adopting Evicertia to confirm the security and legal validity of our services.

You can now take advantage of all these legal analyzes and selection processes that serve as our endorsement.

Do they have legal validity? Can I use them as a proof in a trial?

YES. Evicertia is the first company of its kind that has an edict from the Supreme Court of Spain in its favor, which confirms the validity of its services.

The legislation of Europe, Latin America and countries governed by Anglo-Saxon law (common law) admits the validity of documents, contracts and communications made electronically in numerous standards. Therefore, we can guarantee that the evidences provided by Evicertia are admissible in a trial.

However, the crucial question facing us is the evidentiary effectiveness of electronic media and the procedure used depending on what you want to demonstrate.

If the other party impugns the validity of an evidence, then the involvement of experts would be necessary and the judge will assess the evidence according to their healthy criticism. This can happen both with an electronic evidence and with any paper document (e.g. if there is a rejection of a handwritten signature).

The difference between using Evicertia and other means (e.g. sending the contract by fax) is precisely that evidentiary effectiveness in this possible situation. Here we can provide much more evidentiary strength in aspects such as the integrity of the content, its authenticity, the identity of the parties or the moment of the event to be demonstrated. The most important thing is that Evicertia breaks the unilaterality of the evidence (since the proof is provided by a third party, an auditor independent to the parties in dispute accompanied by a notarial act).

In general, for private documents, due notifications and contracts, Evicertia offers all the guarantees needed, in many cases surpassing the traditional means to win any possible objection. For example, when signing a contract of a private paper contract, it is usual for witnesses not to take part, nor placing on verifiable record of the moment when the signature was made. Another example is that of a normal certified letter: it does not imply obtaining any evidence or guarantee on the content sent, since just the shipment is certified, and not the content.

In any case, it is important to be aware of the risk assumed, which is what it wanted to be demonstrated, and to take the necessary steps as the case may be. For example, if the operation is at risk of rejection, it is important to link the identity of each party with the means of communication used. In other words, just as we must use the postal address of the registered office or the fax number that was provided to us by the other party and not another one, we must ensure that the cell number, the e-mail address… that we are using really belongs to the other party, or failing this, that there is a prior agreement which guarantees that it is a valid means of communication.

It is also worth noting that there are specific areas that may be regulated specifically or that, due to the risk of the operation, additional requirements of those offered by Evicertia as standard are necessary. A good example is the signature of a mortgage, or the entry register of a local government.

Therefore, if the case of use is especially regulated or is focused on the operations with a high level of risk (because of the value, due to the threat of fraud…), do not hesitate to contact us to discuss it with a specialist.

Nevertheless, our goal is to avoid coming to trial, since with Evicertia you will have a powerful negotiating weapon. Even in a trial, the objection is not for free for the person who impugns, so the other party must think twice, and using Evicertia has an important deterrent effect.

What is the legislation that regulates these services?

Here you have a summary of the related legislation.

  • The Article 34 of the European Directive 2000/31/CE obliges the member states to remove obstacles by the conclusion of electronic contracts, reforming their legislation if necessary.

    Every Member State must adjust its legislation in terms of the requirements –and especially the formal requirements– that may impede the conclusion of contracts electronically. It is necessary to systematically analyze which laws need to proceed with this adjustment and this inspection must be about all the phases and acts necessary to carry out the contract process, including the registration of the contract. The result of such adjustment should make possible the conclusion of contracts electronically. The legal effect of the electronic signature is the subject of the Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of December 13th, 1999, which establishes a common framework for the electronic signature (24). The acknowledgement issued by a service provider may consist of providing a paid service online.

  • In Article 24, of Law 34/2002, of July 11th, on services of the information society and electronic e-commerce, the conditions by which contracts executed electronically are established.

    Proof of contracts concluded electronically. 1. Drafting according to Law 56/2007, of December 28th. Proof of the conclusion of the contract electronically and that of the obligations that originate from it shall be subject to the general rules of the legal order. When the contracts concluded electronically are signed electronically, the provisions of article 3 of Law 59/2003, of December 19th, on electronic signature will be followed. 2. In any event, the electronic form in which a contract concluded by electronic means will be admissible at trial as documentary evidence.

  • The aforementioned Article 3, of Law 59/2003, of December 19th, on electronic signature, regulates the legal validity of the electronic signature and electronically signed documents.

    The advanced electronic signature is the electronic signature that allows you to identify the signatory and detect any subsequent change of signed data, which is linked to the signatory singly and data referred to and which has been created by means that the author may keep under its exclusive control. The advanced electronic signature based on a recognized certificate and generated by a secure signature creation device is considered a recognized electronic signature. The electronic signature will take over disclosures in electronic form, the same value as the signature in a relationship with those contained in paper. And no less important, within the same article 3, legal effects will not be denied to an electronic signature that does not meet the requirements of electronic signature recognized in relation to the data to which it is associated by the mere fact of submitting in electronic format. For the purposes of the provisions of this article, when an electronic signature is used in accordance with the conditions agreed by the parties to relate to each other, the provisions between them shall be taken into account.

  • In this context, Evicertia acts as a trusted third party, as established in article 25 of Law 34/2002, of July 11th, on services of the information society and e-commerce.

    The parties may agree that a third party file the declarations of intent that form the electronic contracts and record the date and time in which such communications have taken place. The intervention of these third parties may not alter or replace the functions that correspond to the persons empowered under the Law to give public trustworthiness.

  • Article 162 of Law 1/2000, of January 7th, on Civil Procedure, authorizes communications made by electronic means that guarantee trustworthiness, such as those made by the Evicertia platform

    When the Liaison Offices and the parties or recipients of the communication acts have infotelecommunications, electronic, telematics or other similar means, which allow the delivery and receipt of notes and documents, in such a way that the authenticity of the communication and its content is guaranteed and there is reliable proof of the complete remission and reception and of the moment in which they were made, the acts of communication may be carried out by those means, with the receipt document that may be appropriate.

  • The value of the probative force of a private document is included in article 326 of Law 1/2000, of January 7th, on Civil Procedure

    Private documents will make full evidence in the process, under the terms of the article 319, when their authenticity is not impugned by the party to whom they harm.

What is a Trusted Third Party and what guarantees does it offer on the evidentiary effectiveness?

A Trusted Third Party is a figure included in Spanish legislation through article 25 of Law 34/2002, of July 11th, on Services of the Information Society and E-Commerce. It consists of an auditor independent to the issuer and/or recipient that certifies what happened between the parties.

Evicertia is a Trusted Third Party because of the following:

  1. It captures real-time partial evidence

  2. It signs electronically

  3. It seals while it is in the cloud

  4. It registers formally and deposits in the public notary the evidence of the content sent, the acknowledgement and the declaration of will

Evicertia meets the requirements established to act as such. Although there are different regulations on security mechanisms, as well as standards and regulations related to the processing of electronic evidence, there is no specific framework for the accreditation of trusted third parties. Due to that, the evidentiary effectiveness of the statement of a trusted third party depends on the guarantees it offers.

In addition to this, Evicertia not only is a service platform that offers the exchange of secure communications, but also offers certain guarantees in order to use the evidences judicially. In order to increase the evidentiary effectiveness of this statement, Evicertia has certified CISA auditors (Certified Information Systems Auditor), experts specialized in IT security and electronic evidence, who in case of contesting the evidence, can make an expert report on request and testify in a judgement. Besides, it has the collaboration of public notaries who have the probative value of the public faith, and who can prove in a notarial act that at a certain moment, a certain content was in the system and that such content comes from a system that intermediates in the communications and that leaves evidence on them in a neutral way. Finally, different specific and advanced security mechanisms are used for electronic evidence, as well as independent and redundant expert methods, guaranteeing the following on each transaction:

  • Trustworthiness of the contents and data of the transaction

  • Authenticity of origin and/or destination

  • Dating of related events

  • Two-way universal location

  • Long term availability

Security

Are Evicertia services safe?

All services offered by Evicertia have high security measures, protocols and systems, designed to meet the most demanding level of the most demanding of our users or potential clients.

Therefore, by using Evicertia, you are using technologies and protocols similar to those used in military or banking environments, designed to battle the fraud industry and cyberterrorism. This allows to ensure that the level of security is much higher than the level that a company applies by its own means in any usual transaction for commercial purposes or e.g. labor, either through the use of paper, by telephone or through its own website.

Is it safer than the paper signature?

Yes. When a paper contract is signed it is not very frequent to sign all the pages (at most a visé is made). Neither is it verified that all copies are identical word by word, nor does a calligrapher take part to verify that the signature made corresponds to the one that appears in the identity document (so we just trust that the graph corresponds to the author’s signature). Sometimes we do not have a copy of an identity document that allows us to check the signature later (so if someone replaces the signed document in the file with another, we cannot verify it); nor do we have an evidence of the time at which the document was signed (if the validities and deadlines are important).

With Evicertia, not only the entire content and annexes are signed electronically, but also:

  1. Public and private key cryptography (RSA) is used to check the integrity;

  2. Recognized electronic signature certificates and signature creation secure devices are used to provide authenticity;

  3. Time stamps of recognized authorities, which are synchronized with the official time, are used to date safely;

  4. The mass registration and long-term signature of all traces and associated events are made (e.g. the moment in which the signature request is delivered, the device or browser model from which it is signed, the moment in which the document is read, the time it takes to be read…);

  5. Experts and public notaries take part, who generate expert evidence and periodically test the system, which is duly protocolized and therefore can determine in a future how it worked.

All these evidences are kept in long-term secure electronic custody systems together with the validation mechanisms, and they do not depend on a single physical and vulnerable element such as paper.

These are some examples of additional security measures. All this allows you to detect any minimal change in any signed content, verify the authenticity of the document, and even check that there has been a clean and flawless consent process;

Is it safer than a certified letter or a postal due notification?

Yes, and in many respects.

When we speak of reliable communication, the common factor of the different legislation establishes that a reliable notification will be valid as long as certain security measures are complied with: when there is evidence of the transmission and receipt, of its dates, of the entire content and the issuer and the notified one are reliably identified. Besides, when we talk about security, we also have to take confidentiality into account.

In Evicertia all content is transmitted encrypted or is accessible in encrypted form, without people taking part or generation of uncontrolled copies before failures. The guarded content has access control measures and any access to the information is recorded.

Do you want more information? Ask for a legal report

What certifications does Evicertia have?

Evicertia is formed by professional experts in IT security and certified auditors. We have the following certifications:

Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) is a certification for auditors backed by ISACA, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. Candidates must meet the requirements established by ISACA.

Certified Information Security Management (CISM) is a certification for information security administrators backed by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). It is focused on management and has been obtained by seven thousand people since its introduction, in 2004. Unlike other security certifications, CISM defines the main standards of professional competences and development that an information security manager must have, which are the necessary competences to manage, design, revise and advice an information security program.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is a high ranked professional certification issued by ISC2, the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc., to assist companies in recognizing professionals with training in the area of information security. CISSP is considered to be one of the most representative credentials in the field of IT security worldwide. By May 2006, 38,384 CISSPs were registered in the world.

Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is the only certification globally accepted for internal auditors and provides the standard by which professionals demonstrate their skills and competences in the field of internal audit. Those who are certified as internal auditors will acquire the experience, information and business tools that they can apply in any organization or business environment.

ISO/IEC 27001 is a standard for information security (Information technology – Security techniques – Information security management systems – Requirements) approved and published as an international standard in October 2005 by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission. It specifies the necessary requirements to establish, implement, maintain and improve an information security management system (ISMS) according to what is known as the “Deming Cycle”: PDCA (acronym for Plan, Do, Check, Act).

What security methods and mechanisms does Evicertia use?

To ensure evidentiary effectiveness, Evicertia performs the following on each transaction:

  • Self-validated advanced electronic signature. For this, Evicertia signs electronically the content together with the related data of the transaction, with a recognized digital certificate of electronic signature.

  • Time stamping of all operations with the services of a recognized Certification Service Provider.

  • Long-term safe custody, providing a universal locator and making the necessary evidences available to the parties and authorities for 5 years.

  • Issuance of a certification (affidavit) with all the necessary data, which can be printed, saved and validated expertly without needing the system itself.

  • Notarial deposit with monthly periodicity. Besides, the notary performs an independent verification of the functioning of the system.

Support

How can I have access to the platform?

Through the web address https://app.evicertia.com

If you have not registered previously, click on the link at the same address, “Register here” and follow the instructions. Otherwise, you should have a username and password that you must enter.

If you forgot your password, click on the link “Did you forget your password?”. You will be asked to indicate an e-mail address, where you will be sent an e-mail with instructions to recover the password.

It does not work, I have problems with it, what should I do?

You can contact us through our support form.

 

Does the addressee know that I send a certified notification?

In reliable processes, it is not convenient to hide the existence of a Trusted Third Party, just as it is not usually interesting to ask the mailman to camouflage when we are using a certified postal service. That is why marks that indicate that such communication is certified are incorporated, so that the communication does not go unnoticed among any other.

In commercial processes, or in those cases where the corporate image and the experience of a client is prioritized, the option “Appearance of the content sent” can be configured, which gives the possibility of minimizing the marks that indicate that it is a certified communication.

Can I integrate Evicertia with my management system?

Yes. Evicertia has web services and APIs, so if you need to automate the delivery of messages and documents you can do it. In general, many systems have, somehow, some way to export or to generate the necessary data.

Do not hesitate to contact your IT department to provide them with all the information they may need or consult with us to analyze the details through our contact form.

Notified or signatory

I have received a notification through Evicertia. What does it mean?

It means that the issuer has a credible signal of such communication, which generally includes the evidence of its transmission, the content communicated, the dates and times of transmission, delivery and opening, as well as the identification of the parties through the addresses of origin and destination.

An exact copy of the content of the certified e-mail is guarded and can be used as evidence in a trial together with the notarial act of the deposit and an expert report or sworn statement (affidavit), thus providing all the data about its delivery, its receipt, the content sent, the date and the time.

I have received a signature request. What should I do?

If you have received a signature request, it means that the issuer of the document, an Evicertia client, has requested us to inform you that we have such document for you to sign.

The document will be available for a limited period of time (several days or weeks as established) for you to sign.

The signature is done electronically (according to current electronic signature legislation), for which you have to start the process by clicking on the link in the signature request itself, which will take you to a website of the evicertia.com domain. Check that the domain that appears in your browser bar is evicertia.com and not another. Also verify that it is a secure communication by https with extended validation (green bar or icon) and that the SSL certificate is valid (by clicking on the lock).

Subsequently, the document to be signed will be shown and/or additional information or identification will be requested, as the case may be, such as the delivery of a security PIN code. After reading it, you will be able to accept or reject it by checking in the corresponding box and signing the document by clicking on the “SIGN” button.

Once the process is finished (which may take longer if there are several signatories after you), you will receive a notification if the document has been signed by all parties. You will be able to access the signed document that will be kept during the established legal period. Remember that Evicertia acts as a Trusted Third Party and therefore can assist all parties, including you, in defense of your rights, and may facilitate the evidences associated with the consent and signed content in the future.

Try it

Request a demo and see how easy and fast it is.

Solicitar demo