What is ASiC signature container format?

ASiC is a compressed file format that contains the original signed files and digital signatures in one convenient package. It’s the only EU approved format to package files and e-signatures.

Associated Signature Containers (ASiC) specifies the use of container structures to bind together one or more signed objects with either advanced electronic signatures or timestamp tokens into one single digital container.

Under the eIDAS regulation, an associated signature container (ASiC) for eIDAS is a data container that is used to hold a group of file objects and digital signatures and/or time assertions that are associated to those objects. This data is stored in the ASiC in a ZIP format.

European Commission Implementing Decision 2015/1506 of 8 September 2015 laid down specifications relating to formats of advanced electronic signatures and advanced seals to be recognised by public sector bodies pursuant to Articles 27 and 37 of the eIDAS-regulation.

Technical specification of ASiCs have been updated and standardized since April 2016 by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in the standard Associated Signature Containers (ASiC)(ETSI EN 319 162-1 V1.1.1 (2016-04).