E-Government - Qualified Digital Signature Case Study

This paper presents a case study on the use and implementation of the Qualified Digital Signature. Problematics such as the degree of use, security and authenticity of Qualified Digital Signature and the publication and dissemination of documents signed in digital format are analyzed. In order to support the case study, a methodology was adopted that included interviews with municipalities that are part of the Intermunicipal Community of the region of Leiria and a computer application was developed that allowed to analyze the documents available in the institutional websites of the municipalities, the ones that were digitally signed. The results show that institutional websites are already providing documentation with Qualified Digital Signature and that the level of trust and authenticity regarding their use is considered to be mostly very positive.