A1. A digital certificate is an electronic file issued and digitally signed by a certification authority that vouches for the identity of the certificate holder. It provides a means of authentication for conducting online transactions. For more information about digital certificates and certification authorities, you may refer to the Hongkong Post website:
Q3. What is the Hongkong Post e-Cert (Personal) for Smart ID Card? What can I get more information about it?
A3. The Hongkong Post e-Cert (Personal) for the Smart ID Card is a personal digital certificate issued by the Hongkong Post Certification Authority. This e-Cert is embedded in your Hong Kong Smart ID Card and contains the following information:
your name as it appears on the Hong Kong Identity Card;
your Hong Kong Identity Card number (in encrypted form);
your email address (optional); and
your unique Subscriber Reference Number (SRN) assigned by Hongkong Post.
This is the only digital certificate that can be loaded onto the Hong Kong Identity Card. More information, such as application details, renewal information, user guides and other technical specifications, is available on the Hongkong Post website:
Q4. I am using Mac OS X and Safari to access an online service that requires user authentication, but the online service does not allow me to specify the location of the digital certificate media for authentication. What should I do?
A4. LAESP online services use Java plug-ins for user authentication, and Safari runs plug-ins in “Safe Mode” by default. “Safe Mode” protects the user by blocking contents with potential security risks to run, including file browsing on your computer. Please visit the following page on the Apple website to allow Java plug-in runs in “Unsafe Mode” in Safari:
Q1. What do I need to know about data protection when using LAESP online services?
A1. LAESP uses SSL protocol to encrypt data during network transmission to protect your personal data. All personal data you provide to LAD via LAESP are secured, and access to them is restricted to authorised personnel only. For general tips on information security, visit the following pages on the Hong Kong Government InfoSec website:
Q2. What authentication methods do LAESP online services use?
A2. Different LAESP online services may apply different authentication method(s) as appropriate for the level of security required by their transactions with the users. Possible authentication methods include:
user ID and password;
"iAM Smart"; or
digital certificate stored on a floppy disk or hard disk, whereby user will be required to enter a password and specify where the certificate is stored.
Each online service will specify the applicable authentication method(s).
Q3. I got a warning message saying "Website Certified by an Unknown Authority" when I use LAESP services. What should I do?
A3. LAESP services make use of certificates issued by the Hongkong Post. You should configure your browser to recognise certificates issued by the Hongkong Post. Please visit the following page to download and install the Hongkong Post CA Root Certificates:
Q1. Why do computer systems need to adopt standards in the handling of text? Which standard is being adopted by LAESP and the HKSAR Government?
A1. While people recognise a character by its appearance, computers recognise a character by its code point. For example the code point '0041' represents 'A', the code point '7532' represents the Chinese character '甲'. In order to minimise the distortion of information in electronic communication, all related computers must adopt specific standards in the handling of text. Such standards specify the scope of characters that computers need to handle, as well as the code point of individual characters. At present, the standards adopted by the HKSAR Government are 'ISO/IEC 10646-1:2000' and 'HKSCS-2001'.
Q2. Why do character coding standards have different versions?
A2. In the early days of Chinese computing, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) incorporated frequently used Chinese characters into an international coding standard called ISO 10646. Subsequently, the ISO has added other characters and revised the standard to suit the needs of various parties. The versions published so far include 'ISO/IEC 10646-1:1993', 'ISO/IEC 10646-1:2000' and 'ISO/IEC 10646:2003'. Please refer to the following link for more information on the ISO 10646 standard:
Q3. Why do we need Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set (HKSCS) when we already have ISO 10646 ?
A3. The Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set (HKSCS) contains special Chinese characters commonly used in Hong Kong and required by the Government and the public in electronic communication, such as the character '埗'as in '深水埗' and the character '鰂' as in '鰂魚涌'. HKSCS also has different versions. Please refer to the following link for more information on the HKSCS standard:
Q4. Do I have to install the Hong Kong Supplementary Character Set (HKSCS) to use LAESP?
A4. The HKSCS will only be required if you need to input the special Chinese characters that it contains.
Q5. What should I pay attention to when using LAESP?
A5. There are some points you should note when using LAESP online services:
You should never enter the same online service from more than one window because it will interrupt the normal application flow.
If you would like to terminate an online service you are using, be sure to exit the online service properly by clicking on the appropriate 'Exit' button. Otherwise, the LAESP server will continue to process your transaction according to the last command received.
Q6. Where can I find assistance when using LAESP?
A6. If you have questions while using LAESP, you can contact our Help Desk at 2537-7677.
Q7. How to save common data of electronic form for future use?
A7. You may re-use your earlier saved e-Form in your computer for electronic submission, as long as the e-Form version is valid.
Q8. What can I do if the printout does not contain complete data?
A8. You can print complete data by setting the printout in "landscape" mode.
Q1. What are the system requirements in running LAESP?
A1. The webpages on LAESP are best viewed with Microsoft Edge / Mozilla Firefox / Safari / Google Chrome. You also need to enable the following in your browser:
JavaScript
Cookies
128-bit SSL
To use the LAD e-Form, your computer should meet the following requirements:
CPU: Pentium IV or above
512MB RAM or above
20MB or more free harddisk space
MS Windows 10 or above / Mac OS 11 or above
Q2. What is the required system setup in order to use Smart ID card to sign e-Form?
A2. If you use the e-Cert on your Smart ID card to sign your e-Form, you need additional hardware and software as follows –
A compatible smart card reader
Hongkong Post e-Cert Control Manager (with Add-on Pack) – available for Microsoft Windows only
Q3. How to download e-Form software?
A3. E-form is supported by Windows and Mac operating system (OS). The e-Form software can be downloaded from the following LAD link:
