Digital Signatures – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The following procedures are to help employees add a digital signature using any of the applications typically used in our organization.
What is a Digital Signature?
A digital signature is a secure and certified digital mark that acts as a digital "Fingerprint". This fingerprint indicates agreement to a contract or document or a form of authorization. It is applied to a PDF document, using your Entrust myKEY, and replaces the need to print, manually sign and scan documents.
Why use a Digital Signature?
Certificate-based digital signatures provide clear advantages over the traditional Print/Sign/Scan/Email "wet" signature process. Unlike a handwritten signature, a certificate-based digital signature is difficult to forge because it contains encrypted information that is unique to the signer. Digital Signatures can be easily verified and can be used to inform recipients whether a document was modified after it was signed.
Much like a passport or driver's license, digital certificates serve as electronic documents that confirm the holder's identity. The Government of Canada uses public key infrastructure (PKI) supplied by Entrust to provide digital certificate and signature services. Branded as myKEY, the PKI allows employees to encrypt data, digitally sign documents, and authenticate themselves using trusted digital certificates. While branded as myKEY, the software is displayed as Entrust on your work issued device.
When to use a Digital Signature?
A digital signature would be typically used to support higher risk transactions because:
- It validates the identity of the signer (mitigates the risk of fraud);
- Is non-repudiated (signature is removed if document is edited after signing);
- Is authorized and regulated by certificate authorities;
- Acts as a digital 'fingerprint' for the documents being signed.
Whether a signature is paper-based or electronic, the fundamental purpose of the signature is the same. A signature links a person to a document (or transaction) and typically provides evidence of that person's intent to approve or to be legally bound by its contents. The primary function of a signature is to provide evidence of the signatory's:
- identity;
- intent to sign;
- agreement to be bound by the contents of the document.
The requirement for a signature can be:
- imposed by an act of Parliament;
- imposed by policy;
- resulting from standard practice.
In examples, the use of digital signatures is used for signing a Letter of Offer, Period Review Budget, authorizing the reconfiguration of workstations and more.
Source: Government of Canada Guidance on Using Electronic Signatures
Need help? Contact the National Service Desk or contact your Branch/Region IM Lead/Broker for IM advice and guidance.