Cryptographic method proving document authenticity and integrity—electronic equivalent of handwritten signature.
A digital signature is a cryptographic technique providing authentication (proving who signed), integrity (proving content wasn't altered), and non-repudiation (signer can't deny signing). Digital signatures use public key cryptography—the signer uses their private key to create a signature that anyone can verify using the public key. Digital signatures are used for contracts, software distribution (code signing), and secure email. They provide stronger assurance than simple electronic signatures.
Why It Matters
The DSC Perspective:
Digital signatures provide legal and technical assurance of document authenticity. They're essential for code signing (proving software hasn't been tampered with) and increasingly used for contracts and official documents.