Can I open a .asice file with Word?

No. Word can open a document held inside the container, but not the container itself. Open it with the DigiDoc4 client, or upload it to Allkiro.

Why can't I edit the contents of a .asice file?

Because editing would break the signature. The signature covers the file contents exactly as they were at the moment of signing. To make a change you create a new version and sign again.

Is ASiC-E valid outside Estonia?

Yes. ASiC-E is an ETSI standard, and under the eIDAS Regulation a qualified electronic signature is equal to a handwritten one across the European Union.

Does Allkiro create .asice or .bdoc files?

New signatures are packed into an ASiC-E container. Existing .bdoc containers can be uploaded and Allkiro reads them in.

ASiC-E container: what a .asice file is and how to open it

Allkiro screenshot: ASiC-E container: what a .asice file is

What ASiC-E is and what it holds

ASiC-E (Associated Signature Container, Extended) is a container format defined by the European standard ETSI EN 319 162. Technically it is a ZIP archive holding the signed files, XAdES signatures and the signers' certificates along with a timestamp. One container can hold several related documents — a contract with its annexes, say — signed together with a single signature.

How to open a .asice file

In Estonia the usual route is the DigiDoc4 client, free to download from id.ee — it shows the contents, the signers and the validity of each signature. Allkiro opens the container in the browser: upload the .asice and you see the contents and the existing signatures with nothing to install. You can request further signatures from the same screen. The file can also be renamed to .zip and unpacked, but then you lose the ability to verify the signature.

ASiC-E and BDOC — what is the difference

BDOC is Estonia's earlier container format; ASiC-E is its Europe-wide successor. In practice a present-day BDOC file is an ASiC-E container: same structure, same XAdES signature, different file extension. Allkiro reads both and creates new signatures in ASiC-E, which is what makes them valid across the EU.

How to verify a signature

Validity can be checked independently of Allkiro. The DigiDoc4 client shows each signature's signer name, personal code, timestamp and validity status. The European Commission's DSS validator does the same on the web and issues a verification report. That independent verifiability is exactly what makes a qualified electronic signature legally strong.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers about this topic. The rest are on the FAQ page.

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ASiC-E container: what a .asice file is

What ASiC-E is and what it holds

How to open a .asice file

ASiC-E and BDOC — what is the difference

How to verify a signature

Frequently asked questions

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Allkiro

Exciting

Account

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ASiC-E container: what a .asice file is

What ASiC-E is and what it holds

How to open a .asice file

ASiC-E and BDOC — what is the difference

How to verify a signature

Frequently asked questions

Can I open a .asice file with Word?

Why can't I edit the contents of a .asice file?

Is ASiC-E valid outside Estonia?

Does Allkiro create .asice or .bdoc files?

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