Electronic Signatures: How They Work - By: diana_007

Today, almost everything is based on electronics. Because of the sudden advancement in the technology available to us, more and more transactions are based online. Many businesses have become virtual. However, because it is not a direct way to deal with people, there could be some security issues. This is why electronic signatures are so widely used today. They authenticate a file, document or transaction. It simply means that the files sent were from you, and there were no alterations made by other people.

Martin Hellman and Whitfield Diffie first conceptualized digital signatures in 1976. However, it remained a concept until 1989, when Lotus Notes was released. Today¡¯s modern digital signature is composed of three basic algorithms. The first is called a key generation, which selects random private keys and puts them together with other public keys. The second component is a signing algorithm. If the proper private key and message are given, a signature is produced in the process. Next is a signature algorithm that verifies the whole signature. It can either accept or reject the authenticity of the key.

Electronic signatures have many uses. Because most of our documents are now based on computers, companies begin to worry about the safety of their sensitive information. Electronic documents become a problem, because there are limited ways to authenticate or approve them. As such, most use e-signatures as a way to know if the sender of the document is verified. Also, if the user is concerned about the integrity of the document and wants to ensure that it is not altered in any way, digital signatures can be used.

So, how is this better than simply printing out the document and signing it with an ink signature?

As we all know, signatures can be forged. They can be replicated by hand or digitally. However, with electronic signatures, you are given a unique cryptogram. It cannot be replicated or copied to any other document unless you have authorized it. Further, manual signatures are confined to a small space on the paper while electronic signatures can be applied to a whole page of the document. It¡¯s not easy to see if the document has been tampered with if you just print it out, as there are no obvious indications, but digital documents with the proper electronic signature will show obvious signs of even the slightest tampering, through the algorithms on the document.

About the Author

Today, almost everything is based on electronics.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/diana_007/48471

Additional Articles From - Home | Technology & gadgets | Digital products