The signing person or organization, known as the publisher, is trusted. The certificate associated with the digital signature is current (not expired). To make these assurances, the content creator must digitally sign the content by using a signature that satisfies the following criteria: Notarization Signatures in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft PowerPoint files, which are time stamped by a secure time-stamp server, under certain circumstances, have the validity of a notarization. Repudiation refers to the act of a signer denying any association with the signed content. Non-repudiation Proves to all parties the origin of the signed content. Integrity The content has not been changed or tampered with since it was digitally signed. The following terms and definitions show what assurances are provided by digital signatures.Īuthenticity The signer is confirmed as the signer. It issues digital certificates, signs certificates to verify their validity and tracks which certificates have been revoked or have expired. Note: You can learn more about public and private keys in this article.Ĭertificate authority (CA) A certificate authority is an entity similar to a notary public. A certificate is usually valid for a year, after which, the signer must renew, or get a new, signing certificate to establish identity. Certificates are issued by a certification authority, and like a driver’s license, can be revoked. When you send a digitally-signed macro or document, you also send your certificate and public key. However, you may be hesitant to adopt the process if you don’t know much about how they work. They cut your costs, require less time, are more environmentally friendly, and make the whole process easier and faster for everyone involved. Signing certificate To create a digital signature, you need a signing certificate, which proves identity. Digital signatures are the newer, faster, better way of signing documents online. Top of Page Signing certificate and certificate authority The following is an example of a signature line. A signature confirms that the information originated from the signer and has not been altered. Signing certificate and certificate authorityĪ digital signature is an electronic, encrypted, stamp of authentication on digital information such as email messages, macros, or electronic documents. Digital signatures support this change by providing assurances about the validity and authenticity of a digital document.įor more information, see Add or remove a digital signature in Office files. By reducing dependency on paper documents, we are protecting the environment and saving the planet’s resources. More and more people and organizations are using digital documents instead of paper documents to conduct day-to-day transactions.

Digital signature pdf