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Digital Signature

Digital signatures are a mathematical technique used to validate the authenticity and integrity of digital documents and messages. They are the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature and offer more security. Digital signatures use public key cryptography to generate linked public and private keys, with the private key encrypting signature data and the public key decrypting it to authenticate the signature.

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Shayan Zafar
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42 views1 page

Digital Signature

Digital signatures are a mathematical technique used to validate the authenticity and integrity of digital documents and messages. They are the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature and offer more security. Digital signatures use public key cryptography to generate linked public and private keys, with the private key encrypting signature data and the public key decrypting it to authenticate the signature.

Uploaded by

Shayan Zafar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A digital signature is a mathematical technique used to validate the authenticity and integrity of

a message, software or digital document. It's the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature or
stamped seal, but it offers far more inherent security. A digital signature is intended to solve the
problem of tampering and impersonation in digital communications.

Digital signatures can provide evidence of origin, identity and status of electronic documents,
transactions or digital messages. Signers can also use them to acknowledge informed consent.

In many countries, including the United States, digital signatures are considered legally
binding in the same way as traditional handwritten document signatures.

How do digital signatures work?

Digital signatures are based on public key cryptography, also known as asymmetric cryptography. Using
a public key algorithm, such as RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), two keys are generated, creating a
mathematically linked pair of keys, one private and one public.

Digital signatures work through public key cryptography's two mutually authenticating cryptographic
keys. The individual who creates the digital signature uses a private key to encrypt signature-related data,
while the only way to decrypt that data is with the signer's public key.

If the recipient can't open the document with the signer's public key, that's a sign there's a problem with
the document or the signature. This is how digital signatures are authenticated.

Digital signature technology requires all parties trust that the individual creating the signature has kept the
private key secret. If someone else has access to the private signing key, that party could create fraudulent
digital signatures in the name of the private key holder.

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