Electronic Signatures

Electronic signatures are the digital version of the traditional, hand-written signature on a paper document but uses cryptographic measures to provide security in an online world.

Based on PKI, electronic signatures provide the following security capabilities:

Signer authentication

Data integrity

Tamper evidence

Timestamps

Advanced Electronic Signatures

Advanced Electronic Signatures are qualified signatures that are recognized as equivalent to hand-written signatures under law.

When an advanced electronic signature is used to sign a document, all of the benefits of an electronic signature is realized, together with additional properties of:

Non-repudiation

Legal recognition under SA law (when AES is required)

Encryption

Encryption is a method to exchange information such that it cannot be read or understood until it is changed back into a readable and understandable form.

Message and document encryption provides two specific security services:

Confidentiality

Data integrity