A digital signature is
Consider the following statements:
A digital signature is
- an electronic record that identifies the certifying authority issuing it
- used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual to access information or server on Internet
- an electronic method of signing an electronic document and ensuring that the original content is unchanged
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer
Digital signatures offer many advantages. You can know that a certain person has signed a specific document (statement 1 is correct) and also the exact information signed. Once a digital signature has been placed the document cannot be altered anymore (statement 3 is correct), or it will lead to an invalid digital signature.
Digital signatures can be used for many purposes such as contracts, payment instructions, confirmations and to maintain the integrity of the data. A digital signature is based on public key cryptography, which means that every user has a secret and a public key. The secret key is used to place a digital signature on a document and with the public key the signature can be verified.
To maintain the integrity of the public key, it is made available in the form of a certificate. There are several levels of trust possible for certificates, ranging from self-signed to qualified certificates. Important for digital signatures is proof of identity of the holder of the certificate, and eliminating risks in the process as much as possible. (statement 2 is correct)
The correct option is D.