TCS certificate service

Securing its digital communication channels and related equipment with digital certificates

HARICA Interface

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Challenges and features

With the spread of spam, phishing, and identity theft, the security of digital communication channels and related equipment has become essential. Adequate protection from such threats is available to everyone with digital certificates. Luxembourg's research and education community is committed to countering these threats and the Restena Foundation offers protection through different types of digital certificates. 

As part of its TCS certificate service, the Restena Foundation offers users, individuals, as well as institutions, three types of certificates for most common software (web browsers, e-mail clients, smartphones, etc)

Certificates for individuals

Any individual working in one of the establishments connected to the RESTENA network may use certificates for individuals (clients certificates). These certificates allow them, for example, to be authenticated for a service, to digitally sign documents and messages, and also to exchange information securely online.

Certificates for institutions

Server certificates (SSL/TLS)

Certificates allowing the institution to be authenticated as the owner of its server(s), ensuring the confidentiality and security of electronic exchanges in every communication between their server(s) and external server(s) or web browsers. Visual indicators in the navigation bar, such as a padlock symbol and "https", confirm to the user that their browsing session is secure

Signature certificates for documents

Certificates allowing the institution to authenticate documents and to be identified as its author. This digital signature is the equivalent of a similar conventional agreement signed by hand.

Benefits

The TCS service offered by the Restena Foundation is based on a contract between the GÉANT organisation managing the pan-European research network and the Greek certification authority HARICA for the benefit of research networks (NREN). As an NREN, the Restena Foundation provides, on request, electronic certificate services to all of the connected establishments as well as to their individual users.

How to benefit?

➔ I represent an institution and I would like to obtain certificates on its behalf:

All certificate requests are submitted on the HARICA interface.

Important! A prior subscription to the TCS service via the Restena Foundation is required:

  1. Fill in the Trusted Certificate Service (TCS) subscription form setting out the terms and conditions of use providing your organisation's official name, the list of authorised persons validating and revoking certificate requests (administrators).
  2. Send the completed form to the Restena Foundation, which will then process and validate your request, then register your future administrator users and enable two-factor authentication on the HARICA interface.
  3. Once this step has been completed, Restena will create the organisation in the HARICA portal and associate the users with the enterprise. 
  4. Once the registration of admin users and the organisation is complete, you can connect to it on the HARICA interface.

➔ I am an individual user with an @education.lu e-mail address and I would like to obtain a client certificate:

  1. Get connected on the HARICA interface. First, log-in with "RESTENA Users". Second, you will then directly access the single sign-on authentication page entitled 'GÉANT Trusted Certificate Service (TCS)' where you will be invited to identify yourself by entering your RESTENA ID and password.
  2. In the portal, find the menu item “Email” and the certificate type “Email-only”.
  3. Follow the instructions in the portal.
  4. Your confirmed request will then be submitted for HARICA's consideration and approval.
  5. Once approved, you will receive an e-mail from HARICA with a link allowing you to download your personal certificate.

More details on the service

Who can benefit?

Higher, Secondary, and Primary Educational Establishments, Special Education, Vocational and Adult Training Centres, Research Institutes, Cultural Institutes, Museums, Ministries

Some useful information

  • All institutions benefitting from the eduID Luxembourg service are requested to create and then log-in via the "Academic Login" account.
  • All administrator accounts must have 2-factor-authentication enabled in the HARICA system (On top-right, click on your name, then "Profile" (the only option for that is "TOTP" - the six-digit numbers that change every 30s)
  • Anyone can request a certificate from any institution or individual user having an account on the HARICA interface. This makes it all the more important to be vigilant during the certificate validation process

Assistance and support

Please refer to the various guides published by HARICA or contact Restena at tcs@restena.lu

tcs@restena.lu

Services

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Have a question?

  • Faq

  • As a teacher, can I obtain a client certificate?

    Yes. As a teacher in Luxembourg with an e-mail address ending in @education.lu, you are an individual user of the Restena Foundation services. As such, you can obtain client certificates.

  • How is the validation process organized to benefit from the TCS certificate service?

    1. The interested eligible institutions have first to return by e-mail to the Restena Foundation the duly completed TCS service subscription form. 
    2. Administrators for the organisation register in self-service at the portal and activate two-factor authentication for their account.
    3. Upon receipt of this document, the Restena Foundation processes and validates the request, and then creates an entry for the interested organisation on the interface managed by HARICA. The validation of the organisation name and address is performed by the Restena Foundation at this stage. In the same step, the administrator users are associated with the organisation.

  • How can I subscribe to the TCS certificate service?

    • If you would like to subscribe to the TCS certificate service on behalf of your institution, complete and send the TCS service subscription form by e-mail to tcs@restena.lu 
    • If you benefit from the Restena Foundation services, and would like to get a client certificate, please send an email to tcs@restena.lu. A more automated procedure is currently being prepared.

  • Does a single sign on (sso) solution exist to access to the TCS certificate manager interface?

    Yes.

  • Is there any user manual available to guide me through the TCS certificate manager interface?

    Of course, the certification authority HARICA has published a very complete set of guides available at https://guides.harica.gr/. For the most common use case of server certificates, please read https://guides.harica.gr/docs/Guides/Server-Certificate/Request-for-Organization-Validated-OV/

  • I have subscribed in the TCS certificate service but how long will it take to activate my account?

    There is no defined duration to activate your TCS certificate service, but a few working days need to be anticipated.

  • My institution wants to subscribe to the TCS certificate service, which name and street address is best to choose to pass validation?

    • If your institution is registered in the Trade and Company Register (Registre de Commerces et des Sociétés), please use that exact name and address.
    • If your organisation is a public institution, please use the exact name and address as stated on the Public Service Directory (L’annuaire des sites internet public luxembourgeois).

  • Why can I not find a subscription form to the TCS certificate service in English language?

    The TCS Subscriber form is a legally binding document and it is only available in French language.

  • What kind of certificates can I get through the TCS certificate service?

    • If you represent an institution and would like to obtain certificates on its behalf, you can request for two types of certificates: server certificates (SSL/TLS) and signature certificates for documents.
    • If you are an individual user in the institution, you can obtain a client certificate.

  • What if my own organisation is working on behalf of other organisations and would like to make them benefit from TCS certificates?

    In this scenario, the Restena Foundation is alone empowered to create all the concerned organisations and make them manageable by your own organisation. Please contact us at tcs@restena.lu

  • Who can benefit to the TCS certificate service?

    The TCS certificate service is to the benefit of Luxembourg institutions operating in the sectors of education, research, culture and administration as well as to any individual users of those institutions.

Haven't found the information you needed?

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Documents and links

Coming soon! TCS subscription form (in French - PDF)

HARICA guides