PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED : To provide a method and an apparatus that implement the digital signing and/or encryption for the electronic transmission, storage, and retrieval of authenticated documents and enable the establishment of the identity of an originator of an electronic document and the integrity of information contained in such a document, provide the irrevocable proof of the authenticity of the document, and can provide "paper-less" commercial transaction, such as real estate transaction and the financial transaction secured by a real estate.SOLUTION : An authentication center provides tools for initializing and managing the cryptographic material required to sign and seal electronic documents. The authentication center provides "third party" verification that a document is executed and transmitted by a document' s originator. The method and the apparatus eliminate the need for "hard copies" of original documents ad hard copy storage. The retrieval of an authenticated document from the authentication center may be performed by an arbitray number of authorized parties at an arbitrary time by on-line capability.COPYRIGHT : (C)2010, JPO&INPIT