Sometimes you need to use an electronic digital signature for work, and it often requires special computer settings. In this article, we will figure out what exactly you will need for work.
What is an EDS?
In general, EDS is an outdated abbreviation that means “electronic digital signature”. Now they usually use EP – “electronic signature” without specifying that it is digital.
You can get an electronic signature (or rather, keys for it) at the Federal Tax Service. It is issued to individual entrepreneurs, legal entities and notaries. Receiving an EP is free, you only need to pay for the digital media. And it can be used on various digital platforms and government services, as well as for working with electronic document management operators.
Where to use the signature
The Federal Tax Service issues certificate keys to verify the key. This is how you receive a qualified electronic signature, also known as a QES. It works just like a pen signature on a contract, and with its help you can certify various electronic documents or log in to the necessary portals on the Internet.
Here are some examples where you can use CEP:
- Registration and work with online cash registers;
- Submission of electronic documents to court and tax authorities;
- Participation in government and commercial procurement;
- Submission of reports to regulatory authorities;
- Submission of tax returns.
How to set up a computer
Installing a crypto provider
First of all, you need to install a certificate with an EP on your PC. And for this, you will need a special utility – CryptoPro CSP. It can be downloaded from the official website . The program has a 90-day free license, and after the trial period expires, you need to renew the subscription. The cost of the license starts from 2,700 rubles per workstation.
CryptoPro CSP acts as a crypto provider. The utility verifies your electronic signature using the GOST algorithm and encrypts information, protecting data.
To work with the program, you need to install a personal certificate:
- Insert the token carrier into the computer;
- Launch CryptoPro CSP;
- Open the “Service” item;
- Click on the inscription “View certificates in the container”;
- Select the private key from the token;
- Install the certificate using the button.
You will also need the following components:
- drivers for the key carrier used (Rutoken, JaCarta, etc.);
- CryptoPro EDS Browser Plug-in;
- root certificates of the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation and the Certification Center of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation;
- crypto plugin extension for the internet browser used;
- other plugins for relevant information systems.
Installing Media Drivers
The driver type will depend on your drive. You can learn more about it in the documents, and each of them requires its own installation package.
Here are the links where you can download them:
- Rutoken
- Rutoken EDS 2.0
- JaCarta
- eSmart
After downloading, you need to download the file suitable for your drive and install the driver. After installation is complete, it is recommended to reboot the PC.
Installing the plugin in the browser
To work with the browser, you also need a special plugin – CryptoPro EDS Browser plug-in, you can download it from the official website. It allows you to leave a signature on web pages. It is important that your browser supports JavaScript scripts. It is recommended to use Yandex Browser, as it supports all the necessary certificates and scripts.
You can also install the plugin from the extension store:
- Go to your browser menu and open “Add-ons” (or “Extensions”);
- Go to the extensions directory;
- Install and enable CryptoPro EDS.
As we have already said above, you do not receive the electronic signature itself, but a special certificate and two keys (private and public). All files are written to a token, which is placed on a special medium (flash drive). You connect the token to the computer and get the ability to place a signature on documents and web pages.
Secure connection
But one browser plugin will not be enough. You also need to enable special security protocols in the form of a TLS channel and GOST algorithms. In the instructions, we will use Yandex Browser as an example of setup.
How to enable protection:
- Open your browser settings;
- Go to system settings;
- Activate the option “Connect to sites using GOST encryption”.
After that, you need to add the tax service website to your trusted sources. The thing is that enhanced encryption protection can limit the functionality of many websites, and for correct work with the signature, you need quick access to the Federal Tax Service.
Here’s how to add a site to your trusted list:
- Open browser properties;
- Go to the Security menu;
- Click on the “Secure Nodes” section;
- Open the Sites tab;
Root certificates
Another important point is the FTS root certificates. You can download them, for example, from the website http://uc.nalog.ru/crt
Here is a complete list of required files:
- Certificate of the Main Certification Authority of the Federal Tax Service;
- Certificates of the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Digital Development;
- Intermediate certificate of the Federal Tax Service CA – downloaded from the website depending on the date of issue of your signature.
Connecting to your personal account
Once you have done all of the above, you need to check if your electronic signature works. To do this, you need to connect to your personal account via CryptoPro CSP and open the section “Checking the fulfillment of the conditions for access to your personal account”. There, click the “Run check” button and wait for it to finish.
If everything is OK, grant the service access rights to the electronic signature key. If an error occurs at one of the verification stages, the program will notify you and offer solutions.
Now you know more about the digital signature and where it can be used. Be careful when working with important data and do not forget about security!