2. Encryption of Files for Transmission2. Encryption of Files for Transmission

2. Encryption of Files for Transmission

The ACA will use 'public key' encryption to secure the privacy and integrity of each registered applicant's bid file as it is transmitted to the ACA. Public key encryption also offers scope to provide sophisticated digital authentication procedures for files that are mathematically improbable to compromise.

Note Public key encryption works on the basis of 2 complementary keys (very large numbers). The 2 keys are mathematically related, but in a way that cannot be easily deduced. One key must be kept private, while the other can be made public. A message encrypted with 1 part of the key pair can ONLY be decrypted with the other part.

Public key cryptography is implemented by users freely distributing their public key, so that other people can encrypt messages to them with that key. The message can then only be decrypted using the person's private key which the person alone holds and which the person must protect.

For the auction, the ACA will provide all pairs of encryption keys. Each registered applicant will be given a copy of the ACA's public key and a copy of the applicant's own private key. The ACA will retain a copy of all public and private keys distributed in the auction.

The ACA will store encryption keys under appropriate security arrangements in the auction centre.

The ACA will specify 1024 bit keys.