These days, it’s quite uncommon to encounter a business that does not employ technology to streamline operations. Contract creation, transfer, and signing are all made faster thanks to electronic signatures.
But, how else can you be confident that your electronic files were not altered in the process? This is where a certified digital signature enters the picture.
In this article, we will introduce you to the certified electronic signature, its many uses, and its advantages.
What Is a Certified Digital Signature?
A certified digital signature is a type of electronic signature used to authenticate the signer’s identity. It also ensures the integrity of the document being signed. It is legally binding and holds the same weight as a traditional wet-ink signature.
It is created using a digital certificate, which is issued by a trusted third-party certification authority. This certificate contains information about the identity of the signer, such as their name and email address. It also contains a public key that is used to encrypt the signature.
This helps to ensure that the procedures followed to obtain that signature adhere to the strictest legal requirements. Additionally, it guarantees that a document’s content wasn’t changed after delivery.
How Do Certified Electronic Signatures Work?
Certified electronic signatures work by using a combination of a digital certificate, which is issued by a trusted third-party organization. They also use encryption and decryption to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the signed document.
When a document is signed electronically, the signer’s digital certificate, which includes their public key, is used. This is done to encrypt the document’s hash, a unique code that represents the document’s contents.
When someone receives the document and wants to verify the signature, they use the signer’s public key to decrypt the hash. Then, they assess the hash of the document and compare it to the decrypted hash.
If they match, it verifies that the document has not been tampered with. It also confirms that it was indeed signed by the person whose name appears on the certificate.
Uses of Certified Digital Signatures
A certified digital signature has a wide range of uses, including but not limited to:
- Electronic document signing, from contracts to agreements and forms
Securely sending and receiving sensitive information, such as financial data or personal identification - Authenticating the identity of the signer and verifying the integrity of the signed document
- Streamlining business processes and reducing the need for paper-based transaction
- Meeting compliance requirements for industries such as healthcare, finance, and government
Advantages of Certified Signatures
Here are a few reasons why employing a certified digital signature is better than utilizing a basic eSignature:
1. More secure
A certified digital signature carries a public and a private key. The signed document and signature are then converted into an encrypted (hashed) form. The document is sent in two copies—one to the recipient and one to the sender. Both copies are safeguarded with locks to avoid tampering.
By employing a certified electronic signature, you allow your document to be protected at a higher level.
2. Authentic
Certified signatures are more difficult to fabricate than wet signatures as they carry encrypted data specific to the sender. It is simple to verify, and lets recipients know whether the document has been changed after the signer first puts his or her signature on it.
It is unique, just like its handwritten counterpart. Your special set of encryption keys is given to you when you obtain a digital certificate. The public key is always shared when sending or sharing a document. But the private key is always kept on hand and is exclusively used when signing papers.
3. Easier to verify
Through a certified digital signature, it is easier to confirm that you sent or signed a particular document. Also, you can immediately validate that no other person interfered with it after it has been sent.
The document cannot be accessed if it has been manipulated while in transit, making the alteration noticeable.
Although the new norm for the signing process is a certified digital signature, purchasing one might be costly. But thanks to Fill, you can create electronic signatures efficiently. Capitalize on this eSigning tool that is worth every penny.
Create a Certified Digital Signature in 5 Easy Steps
Producing certified signatures is just simple with eSignature platforms like Fill. Follow the steps below to sign a document using Fill:
- Log into your Fill account. Then, you can either create a new document or upload a file from your computer.
- Navigate to the menu located on the right sidebar. Click the Signature field.
- Drag the Signature field to the location where a signature is needed. You can add other fields to your liking.
- Lastly, assign the Signature field to a signer.
- Click Send.
And that’s it! You can now send your document for signing. When signing a document, recipients can choose from three different signature options (Draw, Type, or Upload).
Once the document has been signed, the security tools will generate a digital signing certificate. This is through the timestamp, IP address, and location data they have retrieved.
Fill: A Top Certified Electronic Signature Solution
One of the simplest and safest signing platforms for producing a certified digital signature is Fill.
Fill is an integrated solution that provides a wide range of options based on what you need. Through Fill, you can sign, send, and request signatures in just a few clicks.
You and your team have a plethora of enforceable electronic signatures you can use. Fill has a free templates repository that lets you craft contracts and forms easily. All of these while ensuring your documents are secure and compliant with the standards.
Our military-grade encryption prevents data breaches and provides the highest level of data security possible. Plus, we have an easy developer API and a Zapier integration feature.
Create and authenticate your own certified digital signature. Start using Fill today.
