Best Practices for Protecting and Using your e.firma in Cincel

The e.firma, issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT), is your most important digital identity in Mexico. It possesses the highest level of legal validity and allows you to carry out procedures and sign documents with the same legal force as your handwritten signature. Given its importance, protecting it is fundamental to your legal and financial security.

 

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Understand the Importance of your e.firma

Your e.firma is more than just a digital file; it is the legal representation of your identity and will in the electronic world. It is equivalent to your handwritten signature for any legal effect, providing legal certainty and non-repudiation in the documents you sign. This is why its care must be an absolute priority.

 

Fundamental principles to protect yourself from its misuse

Maintaining the security of your e.firma requires following some essential measures:

• Never share it!

Your e.firma is personal and non-transferable. Sharing your files (.cer, .key) and password is equivalent to giving someone else the power to sign in your name. Avoid this risk and ensure that only you have access to it.

• Reliable and controlled storage

Save your .cer and .key files in a secure location. Avoid storing them on public computers, shared computers, or in the cloud without security measures. An encrypted USB or an external hard drive are safer options. If you need it on your personal computer, make sure it is protected with secure passwords and up-to-date antivirus software.

• Secure password for your Private Key

The password for your .key file is the last line of defense. Create a long, complex, and unique password that combines uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Never use passwords that are easy to guess or research (birth dates, names, etc.) and avoid reusing it in other services.

• Ensure its validity and renew it on time

Your e.firma has an expiration date. Make sure you are aware of when it expires and carry out the renewal process with the SAT well in advance to avoid failures in your operations and signatures. An expired e.firma is not valid for signing documents in Cincel.

• Use trusted platforms like Cincel

It is extremely important that you use your e.firma only on platforms that guarantee its security and proper handling. At Cincel, we have strict security standards that ensure the integrity of your files:

– We do not store your files: Cincel does not store your .cer or .key files on our servers. Each time you sign a document with your e.firma, you must upload them to complete the process. This ensures that you maintain total and exclusive control over your e.firma.

– Encrypted process: All communication and the signing process are carried out under SSL/TLS encryption, protecting your data at all times.

– Secure infrastructure: Our platform is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS), the global leader in cloud cybersecurity, which adds a reliable layer of protection for your documents and your signing process information.

 

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Proper Use of your e.firma in Cincel

When signing with your e.firma in Cincel, the process is carried out in a way that maximizes security and legal validity:

• Cryptographic verification: The signing process verifies the authenticity of your .cer and .key files with the issuing authority (SAT) in real-time, ensuring that your e.firma is legitimate and valid.

• Document integrity: The advanced electronic signature, through the use of your e.firma, guarantees that the document has not been altered after its signing, and if it were, any modification would be recognizable.

• Detailed Audit Trail: Each document signed in Cincel with e.firma generates a complete audit trail, recording all process details (date, time, IP, etc.), reinforcing the legal evidence.

 

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The e.firma is a powerful tool that streamlines your operations and provides you with legal security. By following these best practices and using trusted platforms like Cincel, you can maximize the benefits of your e.firma while ensuring the protection of your identity and your digital documents.