ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATE SIGNATURE PROGRAM

An electronic certificate signature program to create electronic signatures for documents, filings, and commercial transactions effectuated over the Internet, other computer networks or by other transmission means. A digital certificate is issued to a computer user after a personal identity verification. The personalized digital certificate may include biometric data, such as a photograph, a retinal scan, a voice print, a fingerprint, a handwriting exemplar, or other biologically derived data, and a date and time stamp, all of which is digitally signed using the private key of the issuing computer. If a hardware token is employed to house the certificate, some or all of the biometric data is printed on the exterior. A digital signature is effectuated using a network computer's private key. A user presents the digital certificate and enters a unique passphrase or other identifying secret to gain access. The signature on the electronic document or data incorporates certain of the certificate information and a date and time stamp. This method positively authenticates the user. Multiple users may share the same private key of a network computer using this method. Individual private signature keys are not employed.