IAM: enhancing access

The origins of the electronic signature
Extract from an interview in the 2008 Review magazine.

The digital signature is a mechanism that gives the majority of electronically written documents a legal validity equivalent to their paper counterparts. This mechanism allows the author of an electronic document to be authenticated and guarantees their integrity by analogy with the written signature on a paper document. When the document is read, it:

Identifies the person or the organization that has signed the document.
Guarantees that it has not been altered between the moment it was signed and the moment the reader consults it.

In order to do this, the mechanism must produce a signature that must be:

Authentic: the signatory�s identity must be guaranteed.
Tamper-proof: the signature cannot be falsified.
Non-reusable: it must be part of the signed document and must not be transferable.
Unalterable: a modification in the document invalidates the signature.
Irrevocable: the person who signed it must not be able to withdraw their signature.

It differs from a written signature by the fact that is not visual but corresponds to a series of numbers. We see that this abstract characteristic is, in itself, a further brake on the widespread uptake of the digital signature.

The permanent control of the integrity of thee-Signature as well as of access (usage, identity of receiver, sender and owner) tocontent or a service constitutes the foundation of transaction traceability. This control enables the protection of public or private interests and their computer data, and the development of eCommerce. Authentication contributes to trust in the digital economy and has a bearing on its development.

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The origins of the electronic signature Extract from an interview in the 2008 Review magazine.

The origins of the electronic signature
Extract from an interview in the 2008 Review magazine.