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Digital signature
Managing documents has become so much easier thanks to the development of electronic signature technology. But first, this time-saving technology had to overcome challenges with the increased security risk associated with storing and processing data. Fortunately, digital signature technology successfully addresses these issues with industry-leading security standards and compliance regulations to secure data and online document management.
What is a digital signature?
A digital signature is a mathematical scheme that validates the authenticity and integrity of digital messages. Complex cryptographic mechanisms authenticate messages and documents, confirm signers’ identities, and protect data in transit from forgery and tampering. Simply put, a digital signature ensures more significant levels of security when using digital documents.
Electronic vs. Digital signature
Many people think that a digital signature is synonymous with an electronic signature. While both signature methods make the document signing process quick and convenient, they solve different problems associated with paper-based workflows.
Electronic signatures or eSignature simplify and speed up the overall document signing process. With eSignature, you can sign a document in just a few clicks – simply open the document, sign, and save the file. This signature type is accepted for most legal documents and saves time by eliminating printing, signing, and mailing papers. eSignatures allow you to quickly and securely sign various types of documents.
Digital signature technology focuses on increased signer identity authentication and digital inscription, which many highly-regulated industries require. In simple terms, a digital signature is a more secure version of an electronic signature. It involves the identification of a signer using a unique digital ID known as a “digital certificate” or “public key certificate.”
While most industries accept eSignatures, digital signatures are often used in industries with high compliance standards and strict security regulations, such as defense, banking, legal services, etc.
Electronic signatures or eSignature simplify and speed up the overall document signing process. With eSignature, you can sign a document in just a few clicks – simply open the document, sign, and save the file. This signature type is accepted for most legal documents and saves time by eliminating printing, signing, and mailing papers. eSignatures allow you to quickly and securely sign various types of documents.
Digital signature technology focuses on increased signer identity authentication and digital inscription, which many highly-regulated industries require. In simple terms, a digital signature is a more secure version of an electronic signature. It involves the identification of a signer using a unique digital ID known as a “digital certificate” or “public key certificate.”
While most industries accept eSignatures, digital signatures are often used in industries with high compliance standards and strict security regulations, such as defense, banking, legal services, etc.
How does a digital signature work?
signNow provides an opportunity to add digital signatures to your documents with the PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) security protocol. PKI ensures the highest level of data protection and authentication. This security protocol requires that the eSignature provider use a mathematical algorithm to generate two numbers representing a public key and a private key. The signer uses the private key to sign the document securely.
The mathematical algorithm serves as a cipher, creates data matching the signed document, and encrypts that data. The encrypted data represents the digital signature marked with the time of signature. The public key can’t decrypt the signature if the document is modified after signing, and the digital signature becomes invalid.
The mathematical algorithm serves as a cipher, creates data matching the signed document, and encrypts that data. The encrypted data represents the digital signature marked with the time of signature. The public key can’t decrypt the signature if the document is modified after signing, and the digital signature becomes invalid.
How to send a document for digital signature with signNow
Subscribe to signNow’s digital signature solution — choose a subscription plan that suits your organization’s needs or get started with a free trial. Follow the steps below to send a document for digital signature:
- Open your signNow account and upload the document you need to be signed.
- Open the document in the editor to add fields and assign roles.
- Click SAVE AND INVITE to share the document for signature.
- Add a signee’s email and check the box Send using GlobalSign PKI signature.
How to digitally sign documents with signNow
You may complete the electronic signing process with the following steps:
- To add a digital signature to a document, you need a digital certificate with a unique key pair issued by a Certificate Authority.
- The private key will enable you to securely sign a document.
- The certificate is cryptographically linked to the document.
- After the document is signed, it is automatically shared with the recipient.
- The recipient verifies the digital signature with the help of the signer’s public key.
- If the public key matches, it will decrypt the certificate and ensure that the signature is authentic and valid.
About signNow
signNow is a comprehensive eSignature solution created to help companies and individuals manage their documents more efficiently. With a convenient interface and a self-managed private cloud service, signNow provides high-quality electronic and digital signature services along with other functionalities designed to speed up document-related tasks and streamline organizational workflows. Subscribe to signNow and take advantage of a top-notch eSignature solution today!