Definitions of the terms "digital signatures", "public key cryptography" and "ebXML" can be found in the Jargon Buster section at the end of
this article.

We live in an age where our business information is extremely valuable, and most businesses dispatch and deliver paper
accounting documents using trusted networks such as their regional postal service. But more and more businesses are
now choosing to send their documents electronically using what was once considered to be an untrusted network – the
Internet. The latest developments in Internet technology have yielded effective encryption and authentication techniques
that now allow the secure transmission and storage of electronic data. Whether sending credit card information or
company financials, Internet security is now so effective that important data can make the journey through cyberspace in
a way that is as safe as (if not safer) than traditional trusted networks. But how is it done, and what are the main
differences between sending a document by post and electronically?