Encryption has been used as a means of secure communication for centuries. In recent years it has played a major part in conducting warfare and now in the 21st century it has an added importance in the field of e-commerce. The borderless nature of the internet is a double-edged sword. On the one hand for the first time in history it allows users to transact with the 'whole world' while on the other it could be a haven for potential fraudsters looking to dupe the inattentive user. The PKI system has been developed to allow such transactions to go ahead by giving contracting parties some form of security as to the identity of the other.
The Utah Digital Signature Act was the first piece of legislation enacted in this area. The act deals with the legal effect of digital signatures and also deals with the licensing and duties of certification authorities. The Electronic Transactions Ordinance 2000 is Hong Kong's equivalent.
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