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The CMR Home Page provides current information on all aspect of the Cargo Management Re-Engineering and the ICS. It is the definitive source for Fact Sheets, Training materials and Policy
The site is accessible from here:- CMR Home
The CCF provides the communications link between Customs, external networks and telecommunications carriers.
The CCF is the communications gateway for all electronic business transactions to and from Customs.
Client registrations are accessed by the CCF during the process of authorising clients connecting to the CCF, either for batch (EDI) processing or access via Customs Interactive.
For EDI transactions the CCF:
For CI transactions the CCF
Encrypted EDI interchanges will be carried as attachments to e-mails. Such e-mails will use the standard Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and be in S-MIME format. All communications traffic will use the TCP/IP protocol over both direct connections and Internet based links.
Interactive transactions will use HTML format with HTTP/S over TCP/IP protocols. These encrypted transactions will be made using Customs Interactive web pages.
Future provision is to be made to send plain text e-mails to the user, using encryption protocols, if an interactive session has been closed (eg status information).
In line with the Commonwealth Government's Gatekeeper strategy for supporting the security of online transactions with government, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is being utilised to provide Customs and Customs clients with assurance that messages received from each other are genuine, and that the sender can be legally identified.
PKI is the security mechanism for communications in a global and open network. It utilises encryption to protect your data. A digital certificate and associated 'keys' verify who is communicating and the integrity of the communicator's data. The digital certificate is the electronic equivalent of the hand written signature and envelope process.
Current information about the Customs implementation of PKI is available here - PKI Information
Digital certificate creates a unique identifier that can be checked by the receiver of information to provide evidence of the sender's identity and confirm that the document has not been altered or interfered with.
Customs Digital Certificate information is available here: - Digital Certificates
Existing Customs systems such as COMPILE, EXIT, ACA and SCA operate through a closed communication gateway. With the implementation of the ICS, Customs is using an open system based on Internet protocols. This will provide your clients with a number of options for communicating with Customs. As a result, a new security environment is required.
There are two options for communicating with the ICS:
Customs Interactive (CI)The Customs Interactive facility allows real time Web browser interaction with the ICS. This facility provides a range of enhanced functions for lodging import and export entries and cargo reports, amending previous electronic data interchange (EDI) messages, checking cargo status, accessing the CMR diagnostic facility to verify the status of transactions in the ICS, updating the client register and amend reports submitted via EDI.
To assist users in selecting their preferred option of communicating, a Customs Interactive simulation tool will be available via the CMR link on the Customs website. This tool will enable clients to view some of the screens and functionality available through the Customs Interactive.
Interactive clients may elect to have ICS responses provided, after they log off, via an encrypted plain text email. This email would be sent to a nominated email address and will be signed and encrypted by Customs to ensure security.
The requirements for viewing the Customs Interactive web pages will be Internet
Explorer 5.5 (Service Pack2).
Screen resolution should be set to 1024 × 768 at 256 colours (16 bit colour)
or greater.
Electronic data interchange (EDI) is a class of industry specific message formats used in electronic commerce. Other sections of this guide detail the messaging standards, specifications and the rules being applied by Customs to messages used by the ICS.
Your clients may connect via the Internet for either Customs Interactive or EDI. Alternately, clients with high volumes may find it more cost effective to have a direct connection to Customs.
Direct Connections
The various telecommunications carriers offer a range of communication technologies and can supply direct connections to the CCF. Direct connections provide a guaranteed bandwidth and consistent transit times between the client and Customs. They can support both EDI and interactive transactions.
Direct connections to Customs will be either by a frame relay connection or an ISDN line. Customs preference is for frame relay connections.
Direct connections offer a greater assurance of delivery time than the Internet and also offer built in security features that make corruption and hacking difficult. To satisfy Customs business and security requirements, digital certificates will be needed for authentication, integrity and non-repudiation for transactions between the sender and the CCF.
The costs associated with direct connections are higher than using the Internet and clients will need to consider this when deciding which of the connection options is the most appropriate in their circumstance.
Internet via an Internet Service Provider (ISP)Users will be able to transact EDI messaging with Customs over the Internet. In these circumstances users will create their EDI interchanges, sign them using their digital certificate, and encrypt them using Customs' public encryption key. The encrypted interchanges are then transmitted over the internet to the Customs CCF email address. Customs will decrypt the interchange, using Customs private key and will validate the user by checking the digital signature against the users private key.
Via a VANSome proprietary software developers are considering providing Value Added Networks for use by their clients. In these circumstances users will transact their Customs related business within the VAN. Their emails with EDI attachments will be encrypted and then transmitted to Customs, by the VAN.
The VAN may utilise a direct connection with Customs or transmit messages to Customs over the Internet.
All clients who intend to electronically communicate with Customs will be required to register in the Integrated Cargo System (ICS). Those clients that intend to electronically report on behalf of another party may also have to register their clients.
Information regarding the registration process can be found at: - First steps to accessing the ICS
A full explanation of the technical and policy aspects of client registration are available at: - Client Registration
Customs are proposing to maintain two environments for use by external clients. These environments are designated as:
External users wishing to gain access to the test and / or development system need to go through the same process as they would for gaining access to the ICS Production environment.
V1.7 27 FEB 2004