Press Release

First Certification Authority to operate in Mauritius to get  Recognition Certificate during launch of   Mauritian PKI Ecosystem; ICTA to launch Information Guide on PKI

The first  Certification Authority duly recognized to operate in Mauritius on 9th  May 2012 is set to receive its Recognition Certificate during the launch of the  Mauritian PKI Ecosystem on 21st   June  2012 at the Hennessy Park Hotel, Ebene, Cybercity. The event is being organised  by the ICT Authority which is also the Controller of Certification Authorities,  the CCA. The ICT Authority will also publish an Information Guide on the  Mauritian PKI Ecosystem. The Honourable Tassarajen  Pillay Chedumbrum, Minister of Information and Communication Technology will  officially make  the launch.

PKI stands for Public Key Infrastructure, a cyber security  infrastructure put in place to prove the identities of people, websites,  computer programmes and applications on the Internet as well to secure online  transactions through the use of Digital Certificates.
In a PKI, a Certification Authority (CA) issues Digital Certificates to end users. A Digital Certificate on the Internet is similar to an ID card in the real world. The CA verifies the identity of the end user and publishes certificates on an on-line repository where people can verify each other’s certificate. The Controller of Certification Authorities (CCA) as the Apex trust agency for the Mauritian PKI, in turn, must approve the methods used by the CA to verify the identity of a subscriber before granting or renewing a subscription for a certificate.

The CCA  approval process implies the remittance of: 

1. a digital licence/recognition/approval certificate depending on whether the CA is a local one, or a foreign one or a public sector CA ; and    
2. a paper-based licence/recognition/approval certificate.                       

In May 2012, the technical infrastructure  required for the issuance of the digital Licence/Recognition/Approval was  installed at the premises of the Authority.  

The purpose of Information Guide on the  Mauritian PKI Ecosystem is to give the public in general an insight into the  PKI. The salient features of the legislations related to the PKI are presented  as well as its operational features. Typical examples depicting the  illustrative uses of PKI are also included therein. The soft copy of this guide  will be made available online on the  https://www.cca.mu and https://www.icta.mu websites. An online Discussion Forum has also been created inviting for public  views and suggestions on these websites.

Through the Mauritian PKI Ecosystem, the ICTA  and CCA intend to create the right environment for the take up of eCommerce and  eBusiness in a secure and trusted environment.

Port Louis: 19 June 2012