The Information Technology Act, 2000
CHAPTER VIII: DUTIES OF SUBSCRIBERS
Section 40: Generating Key Pair
Bare Act
Where any Digital Signature Certificate the public key of which corresponds to the private key of that subscriber which is to be listed in the Digital Signature Certificate has been accepted by a subscriber, the subscriber shall generate that key pair by applying the security procedure.
Simplified Act
If a person (called a 'subscriber') agrees to use a Digital Signature Certificate (a digital ID that proves who they are), they must create a matching set of keys (called a 'key pair') using a secure method. One key is public and included in the certificate, while the other is private and kept secret by the subscriber.
Explanation using examples
Let's consider a scenario where John, an online business owner, decides to use digital signatures for his transactions. According to Section 40 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, John must generate his key pair (private and public keys) by following a security procedure once he accepts any Digital Signature Certificate. The public key of this certificate must correspond to his private key. This way, John's digital transactions are secured and authenticated, ensuring the safety of his business operations.
