Digital Signature vs. Electronic Signature

An electronic signature, also known as an E-signature, is an efficient way to digitally sign your documents. It is a legally viable method to get approval or consent on digital documents. An electronic signature can be used in any instance where your physical signature would be used and is the online equivalent of your signature. The formal definition of an electronic signature is “an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record…adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record.”. This means that your digital signature holds the same legal authority as your physical signature as defined under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN). Finally, the term electronic signature (eSignature) is a broad term used to encompass all the different types of signatures used and created electronically, this term also includes digital signatures.

A digital signature is your version of an electronic fingerprint that is embedded into a document. The process incorporates an algorithm that encrypts the signature to generate a unique digital certificate. This certificate is a receipt that securely associates a signer with any interactions within the document and a signer must have this certificate in order to be associated with a specific document. This makes unwarranted tampering practically impossible and ensures the integrity and security of your digital documents.