There are all different types of information which can be contained within a digital certificate. One type of optional information some organizations include is a digital signature. This type of signature is used when organizations want to make sure that documents electronically signed are truly authentic. The digital signature is encrypted and requires using the appropriate keys to validate the signature. This helps to prevent altering and modifying documents once they have been signed or attempting to sign documents without the proper authority.
Encrypting and Decrypting Your Digital Signature Uses Mathematical Algorithms
The digital signature process involves using mathematical algorithms to encrypt and decrypt the signatures. This might seem like a complicated process, but fortunately the computer takes care of running these algorithms for you. All you really need to understand is that you need a private key and a public key. The private key is used to sign and encrypt your digital signature to electronic documents. The public key is distributed to anyone, who will open your electronically signed documents, so they can authenticate your signature.