There are certain types of electronic documents which you will want to encrypt and use a digital signature. This type of encryption ensures that the electronic document is authentic, which means that it was not tampered with or altered in any way before you received it. In order to keep the document safe, there are different methods for applying the signature to the document and encrypting it. Once the document is received, it is unencrypted using the same method.
A Digital Signature Can Be Encrypted Using a Private Key
One method used for encrypting a digital signature is using a private key. A private key is contained on the user’s computer who created the document. When the signature is attached, it encrypts the document, making it safe for sending electronically. After the document is received, the user who received it will need the public key which matches the private key in order to unencrypt the document.