Question

What is the purpose of a digital signature?

Answer 1

Digital signatures produce a specific virtual fingerprint to protect users' identities and information in digital messages.

These signatures establish legitimacy by guaranteeing information was by the signer and not altered. Modification of the signed data causes the signatures to be invalid.

Integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation are digital signatures' information security objectives.

Examples are a wet signature scanned by a machine and put into a document, email signatures at the bottom of the message, or the terms and conditions during installation.

Answer 2

A digital signature is a mathematical algorithm that is used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a digital message or document. It is a digital equivalent of a handwritten signature, and it serves the same purpose: to provide evidence that the message or document comes from a specific sender, and that it has not been altered in transit.

The purpose of a digital signature is to provide a secure and reliable way to verify the identity of the sender of a digital message or document, and to ensure that the message or document has not been tampered with. It allows the recipient of the message or document to trust that it is genuine and unaltered, and that it comes from the claimed sender.

Digital signatures are commonly used in a wide range of applications, including financial transactions, online voting, and legal contracts. They provide a powerful tool for ensuring the security and integrity of digital communications, and are an essential part of many online systems.