As previously noted here: SciAm, December, 1995: "Confidential Communication on the Internet." By Thomas Beth, director of the European Institute for System Security and professor of computer science at the university of Karlsruhe. Chain of certification in the author's scheme, SELANE, extends from local authorities who vouch for an individual's identity and probity up through regional, national and supranational authorities, each vouching for those below it. Digital signatures prevent tampering; anyone who recognizes one signature in the chain can be assured that a signed document is valid. SELANE is compatible with almost every commercial and academic network. It also provides a "smart" card that can carry out the necessary calculations securely for each user. And it addresses the conflicts of government and privacy interests when wire-tapping is needed. SEL_ane