The need for not only producing but also having documents securely signed is very imperative. Electronic signature—more so for businesses and individuals signing documents, particularly in portable document format —avails ease of work and efficiency compared to more traditional paper-based technologies. Thereafter, the need to ensure that the electronic signature is genuine and does not repudiate arises. This is where e-Signature online is applied.
An e-Signature is a highly secure cryptographic technique that electronically binds a signatory to a particular document, such as a PDF. It is similar to a tamper-proof seal guaranteeing the document's genuineness and that no unauthorized change will be made after signing. The following steps outline how the e-Signature process works: An unsigned PDF to be signed is uploaded to the e-sign service.
Signer Identification: The signer is identified through a digital certificate, which identifies him throughout his transaction. It is like a virtual identity card that verifies one's identity and is issued by a trusted third party known as the Certificate Authority.
Hashing: A unique mathematical hash of the document shall be generated. The resulting hash is something like a digital fingerprint representing the contents of the document when it was signed. With each change in the document after signing, it yields a different hash value.
Digitally Signing: The hash of the document is encrypted with the private key of the signer, which is a secure cryptographic key related to the user's digital certificate. This encrypted hash serves as the e-Signature.
Place the-Signature: Into the PDF the e-Signature will be embedded.
Ensuring document authenticity is one of the critical functions of an e-Signature online. Here is how they do so:
Verification with Use of a Public Key: The signed PDF is transmitted to the recipient. The recipient decrypts the embedded signature using the public key of the signer. The public key is available to everybody. This public key is a mathematical pair to the signing private key.
Matching the Hashes: If the decrypted signature turns out to be the same as the recalculated hash of the document received, it ensures that the document has not been modified since it was signed. Any modification will result in a mismatch and will be an indicative probable forgery attempt.
Digital Certificate Validation : The receiver also has the power to validate the authenticity of the signer's digital certificate with the issuing CA for validity. It ensures that the signing identity is who they were purporting to be, and that it has not been revoked.
It is these elements that enable e-Signatures to provide a high level of assurance that the source of the signed PDF is authentic and the documents are untampered with in any format.
Non-repudiation is a legal concept that ensures someone cannot deny having done something. Of course, in the context of e-Signatures online, this means the signer cannot deny having signed the PDF document. And here is how the e-Signature online accomplish that:
Unforgeable Link : The encryption involved establishes an unbreakable link between the signer and their digital certificate and between the signer and the signed PDF. The link establishes a clear audit trail proving who signed the document and when.
Time Stamping: Most e-Signature solutions will include time stamping that includes a secure timestamp on the signed document, forming an indisputable record of when the-Signature was applied—further enhanced with non-repudiation.
With this relatively tight evidential trail, a signer cannot deny his or her participation in having signed the PDF document. This is quite useful in legally binding agreements and contracts.
e-Signature online are secure and trustworthy means of signing an electronic PDF document. They guarantee authenticity and non-repudiation of the document, hence fostering trust and confidence in digital transactions. With this heavy reliance on digital documents, e-Signature clearly is going to play an even more critical function in protecting the integrity of our electronic activities in the future.