Corps of Engineers Electronic Signature System (Correspondence, 11/19/96,
GAO/AIMD-97-18R).

GAO reviewed the Army Corps of Engineers' electronic signature system.
GAO noted that: (1) the electronic signatures generated by the Corps'
system provide at least the same quality of evidence as the handwritten
signatures they are designed to replace; (2) the system produces
electronic signatures that are unique to the signer, under the signer's
sole control, capable of being verified, and linked to the data in such
a manner that if the data are changed, the signature is invalidated upon
verification; (3) the ability of the Corps' electronic signature system
to be used by other agencies has also been demonstrated; (4) according
to a State Department official, adoption of the Corps' system allowed
State to field a production system in about 6 months while minimizing
development risk and cost; (5) the third-party security review conducted
on the Corps' system resulted in a number of recommendations to enhance
the security of an already well-implemented system; (6) the Corps has
already completed a number of these actions and has a detailed
corrective action plan that specifies how and when the remainder will be
completed; and (7) GAO sanctions full-scale deployment of the Corps'
electronic signature system for financial management applications, but
this sanctioning does not constitute GAO approval of the Corps'
financial management system.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  AIMD-97-18R
     TITLE:  Corps of Engineers Electronic Signature System
      DATE:  11/19/96
   SUBJECT:  Electronic forms
             Data integrity
             Financial management systems
             Systems evaluation
             Internal controls
             Financial records
             Interagency relations
             Computer security
IDENTIFIER:  Army Corps of Engineers Electronic Signature System
             
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Cover
================================================================ COVER



November 1996


GAO/AIMD-97-18R

Corps of Engineers Electronic Signature System

(511526)


Abbreviations
=============================================================== ABBREV

  FMFIA - Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act
  GAO - General Accounting Office

Letter
=============================================================== LETTER


B-275391

November 19, 1996

Mr.  John F.  Wallace
Director of Resource Management
U.S.  Army Corps of Engineers

Dear Mr.  Wallace: 

This letter responds to your October 2, 1996, request that we
sanction the operation of your electronic signature system for
full-scale implementation.  We have reviewed the material provided by
your staff, and we conclude that the electronic signatures generated
by this system provide at least the same quality of evidence as the
handwritten signatures they are designed to replace.\1

Specifically, your system produces electronic signatures that are (1)
unique to the signer, (2) under the signer's sole control, (3)
capable of being verified, and (4) linked to the data in such a
manner that if the data are changed, the signature is invalidated
upon verification. 

Based on the materials provided by your staff and our observations
during this system development effort, we concur with the opinion of
your third-party reviewer who stated that the electronic signature
system provides "a very robust implementation of the electronic
signature capability." In addition, we noted that the development of
a system that can be used by other agencies and applications was also
one of the original program objectives.  The security review
concluded that

     "This implementation, which is currently used by approximately
     5,000 individuals (and is projected to have tens of thousands of
     users in the future), provides an excellent model for other
     computer systems in both the public and private sectors that
     require electronic signatures on a widely distributed basis. 
     Principles applied in the development and implementation of the
     [electronic signature system] can be used in any number of
     applications to provide authenticity and data integrity
     capabilities."

The ability of your electronic signature system to be used by other
agencies has also been demonstrated.  It is our understanding that
the Department of State has decided to implement your electronic
signature system in one of its applications.  According to the State
Department official who is responsible for that project, adoption of
the Corps' system allowed State to field a production system in about
6 months while minimizing development risk and cost.  We understand
that other agencies are also looking at your system for possible
integration into their applications. 

The third-party security review conducted on your system resulted in
a number of recommendations that were "intended to enhance the
security of an already well-implemented system." We were pleased to
see that the Corps has already completed a number of these actions
and has a detailed corrective action plan that specifies how and when
the remainder will be completed.  We would appreciate being kept
informed of the progress and any problems in implementing your plan. 

With this letter, we sanction full-scale deployment of your
electronic signature system for financial management applications. 
As discussed with your staff, you will need to continue to monitor
the system as part of your agency's efforts to implement the Federal
Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA).  Reviewing this system as
part of your FMFIA process should provide management and others
adequate assurance that the stated controls continue to function as
designed and that when warranted, improvements are implemented. 
Although the electronic signature system is part of your financial
management system, this letter does not constitute GAO approval of
your financial management system as defined by 31 U.S.C.  3512(f)(2). 

Should you have any questions, please contact Chris Martin, Assistant
Director, at (202) 512-9481. 

Sincerely yours,

Dr.  Rona B.  Stillman
Chief Scientist for Computers
 and Telecommunications

--------------------
\1 We outlined the necessary attributes of electronic signatures in
Comptroller General Decision 71 Comp.  Gen.  109 (1991). 


*** End of document. ***