You can digitally sign a document for many of the same reasons why you might place a handwritten signature on a paper document. A digital signature is used to help authenticate the identity of the creator of digital information — such as documents, e-mail messages, and macros — by using cryptographic algorithms.
Digital signatures are based on digital certificates. Digital certificates are verifiers of identity issued by a trusted third party, which is known as a Certification Authority (CA). This works similarly to the use of standard identity documents in a non-electronic environment. For example, a trusted third party such as a government entity or employer issues identity documents — such as driver’s licenses, passports and employee ID cards — on which others rely to verify that a person is whom he or she claims to be.
Digital certificates can be issued by CAs within an organization, such as a Windows Server 2003 server that is running Windows Certificate Services, or a public CA, such as VeriSign or Thawed.
A Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is essential for companies and organizations that take part or intend to take part in eTendering processes on various Government sites. Besides enabling eTendering which is extremely convenient and transparent, a Digital Signature Certificate also ensure greater security in other online transactions.
Why do I need a Digital Signature Certificate?
A Digital Signature Certificate authenticates your identity electronically. It also provides you with a high level of security for your online transactions by ensuring absolute privacy of the information exchanged using a digital certificate. You can use certificates to encrypt information such that only the intended recipient can read it. You can digitally sign information to assure the recipient that it has not been changed in transit, and also verify your identity as the sender of the message.
Where can I use Digital Signature Certificates?
You can use Digital Signature Certificates for the following:
For secure email and web-based transactions, or to identify other participants of web-based transactions.
To prove ownership of a domain name and establish SSL/ TLS encrypted secured sessions between your website and the user for web based transactions.
As a developer, for proving authorship of a code and retaining integrity of the distributed software programs.
For signing web forms, e-tendering documents, filing income tax returns, to access membership-based websites automatically without entering a user name and password etc.
Digital signatures help establish the following authentication measures:
Authenticity: The digital signature helps ensure that the signer is whom he or she claims to be. This helps prevent others from pretending to be the originator of a particular document (the equivalent of forgery on a printed document).
Integrity: The digital signature helps ensure that the content has not been changed or tampered with since it was digitally signed. This helps prevent documents from being intercepted and changed without knowledge of the originator of the document.
