3. November 2017
Due to a threat assessment, the Government of the Republic has decided, as of 24.00 on the evening of 3 November, to suspend the certificates of all ID-cards issued after 16 October 2014. ID-cards with suspended certificates cannot be used to access internet banks or other e-services until their certificates have been renewed.
The certificates of at risk ID-cards can be renewed via computer until 31 March 2018. Considering the large number of cards that require updating and the technical limitations in place, the burden of remote renewal may prove to be quite high on the information systems and disruptions may occur.
Suspended certificates can also be renewed in the Police and Border Guard’s service centres. In order to renew certificates, the Police and Border Guard’s service centres will also be open on Saturday and Sunday. The Police and Border Guard ask that you take long wait times into consideration.
You do not have to renew your certificate, if:
- you do not use your ID-card electronically, i.e. you do not use the PIN1 or PIN2 codes;
- you only use the ID-card as a travel document;
- you only use the ID-card to purchase digital prescriptions;
- your ID-card was issued prior to 16 October 2014 or after 25 October 2017;
- you use mobile-ID or Smart-ID. If so, you have until the end of March to renew your certificates.
Concerning the renewal of ID-card certificates:
- ID-card certificates can be remotely updated via computer until 31 March.To renew the certificates you must download and install the newest ID-card software onto your computer and follow the instructions on the screen. It definitely pays to be very careful and review the instructions on the id.ee homepage.
- If remote updating fails, or if doing so is impossible, the document can be updated at Police and Border Guard service centres.
- Beginning in April, the security certificates of all remaining cards with security vulnerability, which have not been updated by that time, will be terminated. In addition, the update requirement also applies to residence permits and the electronic portion of the Digi-ID.
- Cards issued as of 25 October 2017 already include the new certificates and do not require updating.
Instructions for remotely updating ID-card certificates
Frequently asked questions
The reason for suspending certificates is to prevent a possible attack on ID-card users.
On 30 August, an international scientific research team informed the Estonian Information System Authority (RIA) that they had discovered a security risk affecting ID-cards issued in Estonia since October 2014 (including cards issued to e-residents), i.e. a total of nearly 750,000 cards. ID-cards issued prior to 16 October 2014 use a different chip and are not affected by this risk. mobile-ID is also not affected by this security risk.
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