About epass Canada

Currently with Passport Canada, you can use an epass to complete the Passport on-line application form.

Epass is a new service that uses the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). This gives Canadians the ability to obtain state-of-the-art secure electronic services from any Internet terminal in the world, using the convenience of a user ID and password. When registering for an epass, you get a unique electronic credential that gives you access to on-line programs and services that require enhanced security measures, including digital signatures.

As more Government of Canada programs and services become available on-line, it will be possible for you to choose to use one epass to access multiple programs and services, or you may choose to obtain and use a different epass for each program or service. You will be able to select the option that best suits your needs.

epass security

Security is important to us. The Government of Canada site uses a layered suite of technologies to ensure that your communications with us are protected.

The first security layer begins with your Web browser. When you access Government On-Line, our server checks your browser to ensure it meets strict security requirements. You may only use browsers that employ 128-bit encryption (one of the highest levels of browser security available today). A secure connection is then established between your computer and our services. A padlock or key icon at the bottom of your browser indicates that a secure connection has been established. For on-line transactions, we may supplement this industry standard with additional security measures.

Although we go to great lengths to secure your transactions with us, there are other precautions that you should take to maximize your protection. For example, you should regularly apply commercially available patches to your browser and operating system, and protect your computer with up-to-date anti-virus and firewall software, which is also commercially available.

The epass Canada Web site may use session cookies for registered users. Cookies are small text files that pass selected information back and forth from your computer to the server you access. This way, our server will know things such as which language you prefer to use. The information collected by our servers is safeguarded in files that are password protected and to which access is physically restricted.

Public Key Infrastructure

PKI is a combination of policy and technology that establishes a secure working environment, allowing Internet users to conduct secure electronic transactions. PKI operates using public key cryptography and digital certificates held by each party transmitting over the Internet. This ensures that private information is kept protected from tampering and that the identities of the participants can be guaranteed.

More details about PKI are available on the following Web sites:

• Government of Canada Public Key Infrastructure (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat)
• Public Key Infrastructure (Communications Security Establishment)

Digital Signatures

A digital signature is a type of electronic identification that can confirm the identity of the sender of a message, whether the message is encrypted or not. Digital signatures can only be generated by the signer. They can be verified, are tamperproof, cannot be forged or repudiated, and ensure that the information contained in the message is not changed during transmission.

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