Difference Between Digital Signature and Electronic Signature

Piers Zoew Tuesday October 18, 2022 3:54 AM

Read this article to learn more about digital signature and electronic signature and the difference between them.

In recent years, with the increasing development of Internet technology, the terms digital signature and electronic signature have started to appear in our daily lives. Especially in some scenarios that require authentication and user agreements, many users find it confusing. What is digital signature and electronic signature? Are they the same thing or not? What is the difference between a digital signature and an electronic signature?

Difference Between Digital Signature and Electronic Signature

Difference Between Digital Signature and Electronic Signature

What is the Digital Signature?

Digital signatures, also known as public key digital signatures, are digital versions of handwritten signatures. It is a digital string that can only be generated by the sender and cannot be forged by others. This digital string digital signature is valid proof of the authenticity of the message sent by the sender of the message. This is an application of asymmetric key cryptography and digital digest technology for identifying digital information. Public key ciphers address the issue of confidentiality, while digital signatures address the issues of integrity and validity. Digital signatures usually define two complementary operations, one for signing and one for verifying. Today there are more and more people and organizations using digital documents instead of written documents in the execution of daily transactions, thus reducing the reliance on written documents.

What is Electronic Signature?

The definition of an electronic signature varies by state law. According to the U.S. Federal ESIGN Act, an electronic signature is defined as “an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to a contract or other record that is logically connected to the contract or other record and executed or adopted by the person intending to sign the record.” More broadly, an electronic signature is used to refer to any signature that is applied electronically, rather than on physical paper. It is similar to a handwritten signature or seal, and it can also be said to be an electronic seal. Any electronic technical means that can serve to prove the identity of the parties and their approval of the content of the document in electronic communication can be called an electronic signature.

Digital Signature vs Electronic Signature

Digital Signature Electronic Signature
Purpose used to identify digital information Enables traditional paper-based signature or seal functionality
Safety Highly safe Vulnerable to tampering
Types Based on Adobe and Microsoft Verbal, electronic ticks, or scanned signatures.
Verification method Digital certificates and PKI for authentication The signing of documents using keys

 FAQs About Digital Signature and Electronic Signature

How to create a digital signature easily?

You can easily create a digital signature using the best digital signature software. The digital signature solution will allow you to create electronic signatures and embed them in your documents. In addition, it will create a public and private key for the selected document, making the entire process of creating a fast, hassle-free digitally signed document possible.

What is considered a reliable electronic signature?

An electronic signature is not a simple symbol or stamp form, but a legal concept, i.e. only if certain conditions are met to form an electronic document of data will it be legally valid and become a reliable electronic signature. A reliable electronic signature guarantees that the signature is unaltered, that the original text is unaltered, and that the source and time of the signature are identified.

Are digital signatures more legitimate than electronic signatures?

Digital signatures and electronic signatures are not completely separate concepts. Strictly speaking, digital signatures refer to a technical means, while electronic signatures are a legal concept. So from a certain point of view, electronic signatures are a form of expression of digital signatures.

Because it is a technology, digital signatures are used more widely, and in fact, most of the documents related to the Internet that need to be encrypted have traces of digital signatures in them. And in areas where legal liability is required, the legal validity of electronic signatures is obviously needed even more.

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