As a crucial component of the country’s digital infrastructure, digital signatures have become indispensable tools for mirroring real-world activities in the digital environment. The widespread adoption of digital signatures among citizens is expected to accelerate national digital transformation, contributing to the development of both the digital economy and digital society.

According to data from MOST - the standing agency of the Government’s Steering Committee for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation - by the end of June, approximately 20 million digital signature certificates had been issued, a 46.88% increase compared to the end of last year. Notably, 33% of the adult population now owns a digital or electronic signature.

To ensure the legal validity of electronic documents, protect users’ rights, and promote the digital signature market, MOST issued Circular 15 on August 15. This regulation defines the technical requirements for digital signature software, verification tools, and the public authentication gateway.

Replacing Circular 22/2020/TT-BTTTT, Circular 15 is seen as a pivotal legal milestone that reinforces digital trust, protects electronic transactions, and advances Vietnam’s digital economy. The circular establishes a robust legal and technical framework to standardize processes, ensure transparency, and improve security for all digital transactions involving individuals and organizations in Vietnam.

The new regulation introduces stricter technical standards for digital signing and verification software. It also provides detailed guidance on integrating with the Public Digital Signature Authentication Gateway (eSign Gateway) developed by MOST, following Decree 23 issued on February 21, 2025, concerning electronic signatures and trust services.

For digital signature software, one key requirement is the ability to validate a certificate’s status before allowing a user to sign. The software must also support timestamping when needed and guarantee the integrity of the signed data.

In terms of verification software, Circular 15 mandates that it must verify signatures using a "trusted chain," ensuring that the signer's certificate is linked either to the root certificate of the National Electronic Authentication Center (NEAC) under MOST or to a foreign trusted list recognized by Vietnam. Additionally, the software must clearly display in Vietnamese whether the signature is valid, alongside the signer’s identity, the signing time, and data integrity.

The circular’s appendix outlines new security standards, requiring a minimum RSA key length of 2048 bits and 256 bits for ECDSA. It also recommends implementing European-standard signature protocols for PDF (PAdES), XML (XAdES), and CMS (CAdES) formats.

To further ensure document and data integrity, Circular 15 mandates that all public Certificate Authorities (CAs) and electronic transaction systems using digital signatures must connect to the eSign Gateway for signing activities.

This centralized gateway simplifies integration for developers by eliminating the need to connect to individual CAs. It also enhances synchronization, compatibility, and security nationwide. NEAC will lead the support and coordination for connections to the eSign Gateway.

A NEAC representative noted that implementing the new rules will help CAs improve their product quality through technical and standard-based requirements. This will encourage the development of broader digital signature and trust service solutions. For end users, the regulation outlines required service features, helping them better understand the services they use and strengthening consumer protection.

The representative also said that NEAC will now focus on rolling out Circular 15 in practice, ensuring synchronized implementation across signature software, verification tools, and trust service connections.

In recent months, NEAC has been compiling detailed user guides and FAQs for software developers, CAs, and system administrators to help them comply with the circular’s technical provisions. Online support channels have also been established to answer questions about processes and standards promptly.

In Vietnam, digital signatures and trust services are not only technical tools but a critical foundation for building trust in electronic transactions. They are shaping the country’s digital economy, digital government, and digital society.

PV