X.509
The X.509 standard defines the structure and coding of certificates. It is the most widely used standard for certificate structures.


XML
Abbreviation for "eXtensible Markup Language". XML–just as HTML–is a simplified version of the standard generalized markup language (SGML). The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C and http://www.w3.org/) approved version 1.0 in February 1998. Adobe, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Netscape and Sun, as well as others, were involved in the development of XML.

XML should make it easier for programmers to write SGML applications while defining separate document types (DTD). The eXtensible Markup Language allows for many new “tags”, these are the HTML keywords that also simplify the data management in the net and that also let XML be used as a database interface in the Intranet. Furthermore, structured data can also be exchanged across platforms. The W3C emphasizes that XML is doing for data what Java did for programs. See also: http://www.w3.org/ and www.w3.org/XML Directory Services Markup Language


ZKA (Zentraler Kreditausschuss)
The ZKA is the coordinating body for the electronic payment transactions of the German banks. The ZKA is composed of the following banking associations: the Deutsche Sparkassen- und Giroverband (DSGV), the Bundesverband der Deutschen Volks- und Raiffeisenbanken (BVR), the Bundesverband deutscher Banken (BdB) and the Verbund öffentlicher Banken (VÖB). The chairmanship of the ZKA is assumed by each of the four member associations in yearly rotation.