Digital Signature Standard: Providing a More Secure Way to Authenticate a Signature

Digital signatures are more or less electronic fingerprints and in the form of a coded message, the digital signature safely relates a signer with a document in a recorded transaction. Digital signatures use a standard, accepted format called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), in order to provide the highest levels of security and universal acceptance. Simply put, they are a particular signature technology implementation of electronic signature or e Signature.

The benefits of adopting digital signatures standard in place of paper-based, wet-ink signatures are but obvious- reducing paper waste, minimize operating costs, speed up document delivery, etc. But what’s cloudy is what happens when you actually utilize a digital signature to a document.

How do Digital Signatures Work?

When a signer electronically signs a document, the signature is created using the private key of the signer, which is always kept securely by the signer. The mathematical algorithms act as codes, creating data matching the signed document, called a hash, and encrypting that data. And this encrypted data is the digital signature. The digital signature also comes with the time when the document was signed. However, if the document changes after signing, the digital signature gets invalidated.

For instance, Mark signs an agreement to sell his timeshare using his private key. The buyer on the contrary receives the document along with a copy of Mark’s public key. If the public key is unable to decrypt the signature, it means the signature is not Mark’s, or has been changed since it was signed. Hence, the signature is considered invalid. In order to protect the signature, PKI requires that the keys must be created, conducted, and saved in a secure manner, and it usually needs the services of a reliable Certificate Authority (CA).

How to Create a Digital Signature?

Digital Signature providers that offer solutions based on digital signature technology make it easy to digitally sign the documents. Basically, they provide an interface for sending and signing documents online and work with apt Certificate Authorities to provide trusted digital certificates. And depending upon the certificate authority you are using, you might be asked to give certain information. There might be some restrictions and limitations to whom you are sending documents for signing and the order in which you send them. Digital Signature providers come with an interface that helps you walk through the process and ensures that you meet all of those requirements.

Verifying a signer’s identity and safeguarding the integrity of the document are two of the biggest concerns people have when moving away from paper-based signatures. But now, you must be well-apprised of the fact that how digital signature providers can help you cover off both.