CAC/PIV E-Signature Authentication

U.S. Government organizations require additional security measures to safeguard critical information and data. Common Access Cards (CAC) are identification cards that are issued to U.S. Department of Defense personnel. These cards enable physical access to buildings and provide access to DoD computer networks and systems. While CAC cards are the primary identification cards for DoD personnel, Personal Identification Verification cards (PIV) are smartcards used by other branches of the U.S. Federal Government that contain a certificate and a private key to gain access to computers, networks, and online resources. With Box Sign, these organizations can enable and require signature request recipients to authenticate themselves using their CAC or PIV smartcards before gaining access to signing Box Sign signature requests. 

Admin Enablement

Admins can enable CAC/PIV authentication for signature requests for their organization by accessing the Admin Console -> Enterprise Settings -> Box Sign.

In the Box Sign tab, select Edit Configuration under the “CAC/PIV disabled for all managed users” option. 

From there, you can select from four options for your users and groups:

• Disable for all managed users
• Enable for all managed users
• Enable for select users and groups
• Enable for everyone except select users and groups

Add the specific users and groups to enable the CAC/PIV authentication workflow setting for them. Once you have selected your users and group preferences, click Save.  

Box Tools

To ensure a seamless signing experience, Box Tools must be installed on a computer with a Windows Operation System for each user receiving signature requests requiring CAC/PIV authentication. This step is crucial to enabling CAC/PIV for your organization. A signature request sent with this authentication method can only be completed by a recipient when Box Tools was installed on a Windows OS computer.

Compatibility requirements for using CAC/PIV with Box Tools:

• CAC/PIV smartcard 
• Windows 10 or 11
• Box Tools ver. 4.28 or above

Visit Installing Box Tools – Box Support for further instructions and how to install Box Tools. 

Once complete, recipients can then authenticate themselves using CAC/PIV hardware. 

Known issue with Chrome 142

If you are using Chrome 142 or later, you might encounter a permissions prompt that prevents Box Tools from completing the signing process. To resolve this issue, follow the steps in Allow Box domains local network access in Chromium 142 to avoid Box Tools disruption to ensure a seamless signing experience.

Sending Process

As a sender, follow steps 1 through 3 from Sending a document for signature. 

Selecting CAC/PIV Authentication

After adding recipients to a signature request, select which recipient to modify, and select the CAC/PIV option within the Additional Recipient Verification dropdown menu.

Multiple signers with CAC/PIV authentication can be added to the same signature request:

• Each CAC/PIV signer authenticates independently using their own CAC/PIV smartcard.
• CAC/PIV signers can be positioned in any order within the signing sequence.
• CAC/PIV authentication can be used for some signers, while other recipients in the same signature request can be assigned other authentication methods (SMS, password, Box Login).
• Senders must either set a signing order manually or use automatic ordering before sending the signature request.

Example signing order:

• Signer 1: SMS Authentication
• Signer 2: CAC/PIV Authentication
• Signer 3: CAC/PIV Authentication
• Signer 4: Box Login Authentication

Limitations

• Long-term validation for CAC/PIV signatures is not enabled.
• Digital signatures are stripped upon any upload of a signed document into a Box Sign signature request. For example, a sender has a document that requires the signature of two signers, but the document has already been signed by one of those signers who completed the signing process (either through Box Sign or another signing platform). The sender then uploads that executed document to Box Sign in a separate signature request to obtain the second signature. Box Sign will strip the pre-existing digital signatures from the document (the prior signer’s CAC/PIV signature and the Box platform digital signature tamper seal), to allow Box Sign to apply the CAC/PIV signature of the second signer and the Box platform digital signature tamper seal. The CAC/PIV digital signature of the first signer cannot be reinstated in the document.

Additional Authentication

The sender can require an added password for the recipient with CAC/PIV. The recipient will first enter a password before proceeding with the CAC/PIV authentication. SMS authentication is not available (Box login is required with CAC/PIV, see Additional Recipient Authentication).

Revising a request

After a signer begins the signature request process, neither the sender, nor any other user who the signature request is shared with and has access to revise the request, can revise the request for that signer. However, the sender, or any other user who the signature request is shared with and has access to revise the request, can revise the request as described in Changing a sent signature request, including updating the CAC/PIV settings, before the signature request process begins.

If a signature request doesn’t have a signing order, the sender cannot add CAC/PIV signers when revising the request.

CAC/PIV Signing Process

As the recipient starts the signing process, click Review document from the email request.

Once a recipient initiates a signature request, they will be required to authenticate with CAC/PIV. 

After a successful connection, the signer will need to select the appropriate CAC/PIV card from the drop-down menu. 

After completing the authentication process, the signer follows the steps in Signing a document – Box Support, and then after clicking Sign & Finish before submitting the signature, the signer will need to enter a PIN to complete the process. 

The recipient’s selection is recorded in their signature block or initials field within the signed document and in the signing log for reference.

Signing Log

Once the signature request is complete, the signing log is available for review and reference. The signing log displays each CAC/PIV signature and authentication details as pictured below. You can learn how to access the signing log associated with each signature request here.  

For additional information about how Box can support compliance with CAC/PIV, contact your account manager or client success manager.