Inmetro takes another step in the process of adopting digital certification for fuel pumps. The Institute delivers the cryptographic key to the first 2nd level certification authority (CA) in Brazil, the company Soluti.
While highlighting that Inmetro works focused on the development of quality in Brazil, Marcos Heleno Guerson, the president of the Institute, underlined that within the context of digital transformation, the certification of fuel pumps will bring more confidence to society as a whole. “It is a breakthrough for Brazil. The digital signature even makes fraud attempts much more expensive due to the robust structure of the technology,” he emphasized.
Besides the digital signature, the fuel pumps will have a bluetooth metrological interface. The application, through which consumers can check the fuel supply in situ, is already being tested. The app will also speed up Inmetro and other control bodies’ inspections. “This technology will also allow the traceability of fraud. It is a demonstration of respect to citizens, who will feel empowered to make complaints,” added Rodolfo Saboia, the head of Inmetro’s Metrology in Information Technology and Telecommunications Division (DMTIC).
The cryptographic key delivery ceremony was attended by the president-director of the National Information Technology Institute (ITI), Carlos Fortner. “There is no turning back from this reality. The new pumps will reach the market with onboard technology. This door of fraud is closed,” he said.
Security
The digital signature of fuel metering pumps (BMCs) is provided for in Inmetro Ordinance No. 227/2022, which included new software requirements in the metrological technical regulation (RTM) of the instrument. These security requirements aim to mitigate the electronic fraud widely disseminated in gas stations in the country. Such fraud harms the consumer in the amount of fuel received.
At the pumps, there is a point where fuel is measured and a point where an indication is made to the consumer. Through field inspections, Inmetro found that this communication between the two points suffers electronic interferences that falsify the amount of fuel received in the tank of the cars in relation to what was paid by the consumer.
The measurement signature, therefore, guarantees the integrity and authenticity of the amount filled. This way, if the measurement is modified after the digital signature, the signature verification process detects that a modification has occurred, evidencing eventual fraud.
Inmetro CA
To approve 2nd level certifiers, in 2021 Inmetro became the 1st level certification authority in the Brazilian Public Key Infrastructure (ICP-Brazil). The entire process was conducted by the National Institute of Information Technology (ITI), which is the root certifying authority, the legal and technically competent body to establish the referential cryptographic standards for signatures in communications involving the federal public administration.
The model adopted by Brazil is the certification with a single root, and the ITI, besides playing the role of Root CA, can also accredit and dis-accredit the other participants of the chain, supervise and audit the processes. All certificates issued by 2nd level CA will be sent in copy to Inmetro.
Source: INMETRO
