This blog explains how a digital signature works, and how an individual can create a digital signature of their own, online. It helps to further lay out the guidelines as to how to request a digital signature of another person and the many ways of incorporating them into the existing work processes.

Introduction – How do I create Personal Digital Signature?

In the rampant digitisation of the world around us, the need to upgrade systems and workplaces into constantly evolving digital frontiers has brought to light many manually undertaken processes, projects and jobs that could be made way easier if withdrawn from the realm of paperwork and relaunched into back into their field of work through electronic media. It is no news to us that data processing, data safety and security when managed by computer technology, and artificial intelligence, are vastly superior in quality as well as much more efficient with time management and saving, as compared to human efforts put in for the same, which could be deleterious of certain aspects due to human error or carelessness, extremely time- consuming and still have quite high chances of inaccuracy. Let us learn how to get personal digital signature in this blog.

How Does a Digital Signature Work?

In simple words, the great band of eSignatures can be broadly categorised into two major kinds: the first being the simple electronic version of an individual’s signature that simply portrays that the creator who claims to have created the file, document, inventory, bill, receipt or indenture, is indeed the one who has created it. It is a form of self-verification that one attests in their own work, to indicate the authenticity as well as first-handedness of the same; and if it regards monetary affairs such as cheques, income tax reports and audits, it means to express that the person who puts their electronic sign on the above-mentioned documents, agrees to pay for the levy cost, business transaction or any of the other kinds of mercantile transactions, for whichever purpose the signature showing agreeability is being sent out on. 

The second kind of Digital Signature is the encrypted one, which has distinguished cryptographic particulars for every user, like fingerprints. It verifies the identity of the sender, and the recipient, and helps both these parties access the document that has been turned in, without revealing any private keys. Public keys, hash function, authentication, non-repudiation, and integrity are a part of this second form of Digital signature produced.

Following are the ways the Digital Signature works:

• When the owner or sender signs a document (or any of the file, inventory, bill, receipt or indenture), the private key belonging to them or designed exclusively for their digital signature, secures the document from any external inquiry or safety compromise
• The algorithm thus encompassed by the digital signature, summons its own data party or fixates on the data it needs to reach or match for electronic transmission of the document through what is called ‘hash function’, which is the one encrypting the data.
• The signature carries the time stamps along with basic sender and receiver information, like address, name, other valid identity and intention proof, private keys of both parties etc)
• An easy way to figure out whether a document has been tampered with is to check its digital signature. It usually gets invalid as soon as it notices any infringement or threat. If after the complete signature and sending out of the document, it gets edited or altered without the public key, then the digital signature gets invalid.

How Do I Create a Personal Digital Signature?

Apart from a few applications online that allow an individual to just upload the file or document where they would have a digital copy of their signature be placed, from the drive or drop-box, there are quite a few more instantly and easily available applications with in-built functions of generating a digital signature.

Microsoft Word can create a digital signature for anyone, while requesting a digital signature from someone, in just a few very easy steps.

• First things first, one would have to open the document, preferably an existing document from an existing file, which needs to have the digital signature there
• The document workspace allows the owner or er to use the cursor to make their signature, which can be copy-pasted in the line of signature, in the designated spot chosen by the owner or sender.
• To add other fields to garner the recipient’s name, initials, and receiving time stamp, one can conspicuously choose to write on the signature line, so that it is visible to the receiver while pitching in the sender’s request to collect the personal digital signature or other information if the recipient might be willing to share on receiving the transferred document
• The receiver can very easily enter their initials and digital signatures in the space provided by the sender
• The sender can apply for two-step authentication to make sure the receiver is verified and isn’t some non-trusted third-party receiver.
• If the document is in protected mode, the receiver could still enter their signature, by clicking on edit anyway
• To send this file to the recipient, one can simply mail the document to the receiver. If the personal digital signature is generated and put in place on the document, by the websites online, then one should just have to add the recipient’s email address to the space provided on the website itself.
• To turn the document with one’s digital signature in it, into a pdf one can convert the Word article into a pdf itself. One can always take to a pdf converter to do the same job. Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat can be used to create new digital signatures from editing in Tools, and Tasks, followed by the last step of adding Personal Digital Signature. 
• On Pdfs there are two options offered while creating Digital Signatures- first, ‘Sign document’- which is merely just signing the document with one’s own signature and second, ‘certify with visible signature’- is signing of the document along with a password to secure the pdf from third-party intervention. (Usually, sent by banks to users demanding a change of passwords or other such important things)
• On Mac, one can use the ‘create signature’ option on its document.
• Since a lot of people are still fairly new and sceptical about digitalising their signature, the sender ought to be patient and explain the benefits of having a digital signature made.

And if following the above steps seem to be too much of a hassle, you can get in touch with Vakil Search. Our team of experts will help you create a digital signature in an instant, without you having to worry about performing any lengthy processes online. 

How to Incorporate Digital Signatures in Document Workspaces?

Myths of online data trouble should be done by enumerating the benefits of actual solutions like digital signatures. These should be introduced more efficiently into workspaces by explaining the following:

1. Online transactions in business: when one owns a digital signature certificate, they can “seal” a document carrying the sender and recipient details in it. This prevents any mishandling of data or information, and saves important monetary transaction information dissemination to unknown, unwarranted and unguaranteed third parties, who could threaten the security or worse, tamper and steal the details. 
2. Economical and a time-saving process: The digital Signature Certificate doesn’t demand the incessant printing and wiring and paperwork, as manual drafting and other earlier practices would demand. Being digital, there is little to no inefficiency in the work process and time-consuming as the encrypted security key is sent across to the recipient without the expenditure of paperwork, time and postage.
3. The protection offered to data added security benefits: There are three kinds of certificates, one that signs (offering low security and for internal transfer of data), one that encrypts (provides medium security, for taxes, audits etc), and one that signs and encrypts both (provides high data and document security.)

Conclusion – How Do I get Personal Digital Signature?

As time and tide wait for none, it is imperative for us to understand that scepticism is good till it doesn’t hinder progress and comes at the cost of redundancy of business and the entire workplace. Adapting to digitization and incorporating the changes in our day-to-day work, is a conglomerate of ideas infused with the modernization of data storage and transmission which only looks onward and ahead. Upgrading workflow and information security and saving time and energy should be of prime-time importance for any business or individual who is paving their way onto something more promising and bigger. Data security is a hot topic of paramount importance to the world and such advancements seem ever-evolving in the days to come. Hope this blog regarding Personal Digital Signature was helpful!

Read More:

• What makes Digital Signatures Secure for businesses ?
• Does Digital Signature is Secure ?
• Reasons to have Certificate for Digital Signature