Adventures while getting an Illinois Digital ID

[HankG]

As some of you know, Illinois has passed a concealed carry law which will be administered by the Illinois State Police. There has been a lot of talk about how much info has to be sent to the ISP, when the ISP Department is going to begin accepting a person's data, and how the data is going to be sent down state. This little blurb is concerned with obtaining an Illinois Digital Signature, something you may need if your data is going to be "scanned" to the ISP data bank.

A month ago I Googled "Illinois Electronic Signature" and came up with the site that amongst other things allows you to obtain an electronic signature. I clicked on the section entitled "Obtain Digital Signature" and was asked if my web browser was sufficiently new. Next, I had to download a version of JAVA because I did not have it on my computer. After these steps, a form came on the screen into which I had to enter my name, address, driver's license number, E-mail address, and a Pass Word of my own choice. Next was a question with a "secret answer" such as "your "mother's maiden name". I then clicked submit and the screen disappeared.

I thought I would receive something over the computer or by mail but nothing happened so last week I tried to get back on the site but received a message "Driver's license in use". I had no idea what a Digital Signature looked like or if I had one until I dialed 1-800-366-8768, went to #1, then #3 on the key pad and left a message along with my phone number and Email address. Finally today, a guy called me and got my Digital Signature squared away for me. It consists of a Password and an I.D. word to be used in conjunction with the Password...2 things.

Thought I'd put it out there in case there are those that are trying to get this setup in the event the ISP requires it for submission of our data via a computer scan.

 

[Rastoff]

I wish you well on your journey. This is a major step forward for IL.

 

[jlrhiner]

They announced tonight on KMOV-4 news that the ISP will only accept electronic CCW submissions. No Mail or in person applications would be accepted.

 

[max]

I did that over the weekend. I got kicked out a couple of times and had to re-enter the data numerous times. Today, I got my fingerprints scanned. I think I am ready for the application if and when.

 

[HankG]

The last time I talked to the group that gave the course, they said the ISP is supposed to come out with a list of "what" and "how" on or about th 19th of this month. Have you heard anything to substantiate that?

 

[Ransom]

I did that over the weekend. I got kicked out a couple of times and had to re-enter the data numerous times. Today, I got my fingerprints scanned. I think I am ready for the application if and when.

Maybe their website is from the makers of HealthCare.gov?

 

[jlrhiner]

Here's the link to the news story.

Concealed carry applications to be only online | KMOV.com St. Louis

 

[Nickinil]

I don't have a "warm fuzzy" about this Illinois Digital Signature stuff. I'm not a computer geek by any means, but from what I've read, one should avoid using Java due to security holes in the software. I've disabled Java on my computer because of this. However, I believe using Java scripts are relatively safe. Maybe someone who is more computer savvy could enlighten us on this?

I do think we are having to jump through some hoops though to get a CCW license. And, it sure isn't right that the only way you can get one is through internet access. There is only one registered provider in my county for getting the "digital fingerprints", and that's through some law firm. Again, not getting a "warm fuzzy" here. Plus another added expense. For my FL CCW license, all I had to do was go to my local PD for fingerprints on paper on the provided form...at no cost!!!

Oh well, guess I should quit complaining. At least there is now a means for obtaining a CCW in Illinois...and that's a big step forward for us folks living outside Chicago.

 

[jlrhiner]

Well, they have back tracked. As of this morning;

Illinois to now allow paper concealed carry applications | KMOV.com St. Louis

 

[HankG]

It's going to be interesting to see how all of this plays out. I can't imagine how most of the country survives with a set of fingerprints, a DD214 and a one page form to fill out for a Concealed Carry Permit.

 

[RBald]

Does anybody know what format they will be wanting the certificate and other documentation in? PDF, Word Doc. or something else. I have been calling ISP and sent a E-Mail with no reply or answer so far. Would like to get things scanned and ready to upload when they go online with the application.

 

[HankG]

The agency that gave the two day seminar to get you ready for this thing said the ISP is supposed to come out with definitive guidelines today. Also...the instructors are going to be allowed to electronically enter their data to check out the system for errors this week. I'm awaiting some feedback after this stuff gets passed to the instructors.

Keep the information coming as long as it's solid because this thing is not being implemented in a smooth fashion. I don't think the people who have been tasked to oversee this are very happy about it.

 

[HankG]

Has anyone talked to their CC instructors on how the digital download has worked for them, and if there is a particular protocol to follow?

 

[HankG]

Merry Xmas all,

Yesterday, I posted a question geared toward the digital download on Illinois Carry .com and received mucho information on the program. If any fellow Illinois residents are interested in looking at the program page by page, go to the site, then forum, then my thread dated 24 December and you will have more info than you can digest.

 

[H Richard]

I have spoken with my friend instructor who has already filed his application including the electronic signature, digital picture and scan of his Drivers license and FOID card. He said make sure you have all these scanned and ready and the latest version of JAVA and the site does not like Internet Explorer, but does like Firefox. A fully paper application can be filed, but not until after July. Just leave it to IL to make it the most complicated method possible. Fingerprints are not mandatory, but will add about 30 days to the application process.

 

[HankG]

Go to..... ChicagoGunSmith.com to see the entire application plus comments.

 

[Mcwsky09]

Code Execution

I don't have a "warm fuzzy" about this Illinois Digital Signature stuff. I'm not a computer geek by any means, but from what I've read, one should avoid using Java due to security holes in the software. I've disabled Java on my computer because of this. However, I believe using Java scripts are relatively safe. Maybe someone who is more computer savvy could enlighten us on this?

Regarding Java - but also Shockwave and even Adobe Reader and others: Java is a programing language - JavaScript is a subset of that code which is contained inside a webpage.
"Java" that is running on your computer is a code interpreter which takes an executable written in the Java programming language that you down load and interprets that code and runs it on your computer.
The benefit of doing this is that the provider of the content can provide updated code as often as necessary and when you access the content you will get the latest version of that content.
The risk of doing this is that the provider of that content can provide code that does things to your computer that you are unaware of and would not allow if you were aware.
This is not to say that all Java is bad - but that it creates an exposure that requires constant updates to the code interpreter install on your computer to close security holes as they are discovered.
Part of the reason Windows Vista was such a pain is that MS implemented the User Account Control system which detected anytime an executable was launched on your system and required an admin password to allow that executable to run (it is a bit more complex than that) this was unbelievable annoying because nearly everything that does anything on Windows would toss this message at you - to the point where most people ignored or disabled it.
Windows 7 got a bit better at handling that and recent versions of Mac OS X also include similar functions where the first time a program is launched you get a message and even more recently if you run a program that is not registered with Apple you have to go through an extra step to launch it.
These functions are designed to allow the user to catch and stop code from running that you were not expecting.
It is not perfect, especially on windows, especially when software you intentionally install brings have a dozen crapware items along with it.
So Java in and of itself is not necessarily insecure - but it is more vulnerable to being compromised partly because it is not part of the operating system and partly because it is freely available - meaning that anyone can pick it up and learn it and write code that will run on a variety of systems - compared to any Windows or Mac OS where you and I cannot change the core of the operating system and are limited by the APIs and developer toolkits offered by the OS vendors.
So yes there is a reason to be aware of the security risks of Java (and other add on software) and to take steps to ensure you are up to date when using it.
But I don't think there is a reason to be paranoid or afraid of Java - or at least not more than perhaps one order of magnitude more so that any other aspect of using an electronic device which has a connection to the internet.

 

[vito]

I just went through this process the other day, and like others, had to update my Java software first, then was able to establish an Illinois digital signature. Then I completed the application and saved it (it took me all of about 10 minutes); it appears that as of 1/5/14 when applications will be accepted, all I will have to do is complete the payment part and my application will be done. As to uploading documents and my photo, all I did was scan my training certificate and my DD214 (military discharge document which gave me 8 of the 16 hours credit) and load the photo and documents (as pdf files). Since the application accepted it, I assume all is OK.

As to the fingerprints, the application itself tells you that if submitted without electronic fingerprints, the State Police have an additional 30 days to review your application. I have since heard that many Instructors are telling their students to save the cost and effort and not bother with the fingerprints, since knowing the inefficiency of Illinois it might not, in fact, affect license processing time at all. Personally, I have an appointment for getting my prints done next week. If an extra $55 helps speed up the processing of my license, I think it is worth a try.

We here in Illinois have waited so many years for this to happen that I worried that I would be long dead and buried before concealed carry ever came to this state. Even when the license is received, a holder will have to be extremely careful not to violate the myriad of places where carrying a gun is prohibited. At least for me, living outside of Cook County and Chicago, it should not be as burdensome as the Chicago folks will find it. But at least this is the first and most significant step in exercising our 2A rights here in the land of Lincoln.

 

[HankG]

OK...got everything down loaded and saved on the ISP site except payment. According to site, payment can be downloaded on Jan 5th to complete the process! Picture should be downloaded in jpg, not PDF. Had to convert mine via http://pdf2jpg.net before it would work.

 

[max]

Vito, why did you submit your 214? I am not sure as to what I will do as the certificate should indicate the credit you receive for military service.