A digital signature is an electronic form of a signature that can be used to authenticate the identity of the sender of a message or the signer of a document and also ensure that the original content of the message or document that has been sent is unchanged. Digital signatures are easily transportable and cannot be imitated by someone else. The ability to ensure that the original signed message arrived means that the sender cannot easily disclaim it later.

Yes, the signature and encryption certificate should be separate for an individual. The encryption keys are to be generated at the subscriber's system and should be archived before transfer into crypto-medium. The signature keys should be generated in the crypto-medium and not copied.

No, Ideally, there should not be any requirement for different certificates. However, the person holding a lower assurance Class 2 certificate may require higher assurance Class 3 certificates for application which demand the same. The higher assurance Class 3 certificates can be used wherever application requires a lower assurance certificate. Apart from assurance, additional certification may be required depending on the information included in the DSC (For example, PAN Number may be needed for the application).

You can use Digital Signature Certificates for the following:

    ⦁ For sending and receiving digitally signed and encrypted emails.
    ⦁ For carrying out secure web-based transactions or identifying other participants of web-based transactions.
    ⦁ In e-Tendering, eProcurement, MCA [For Registrar of Companies efiling], Income Tax [For efiling income tax returns] Applications, and many other applications.
    ⦁ For signing documents like MSWord, MS Excel, and PDFs.
    ⦁ It plays a pivotal role in creating a paperless office.
    ⦁ All subscribers who use Digital Certificates for Income Tax, MCA (ROC), Tenders, Foreign Trade, Banking, Railways, and many other needs.

The document signer certificate is issued for use with an organization's software for an automated authenticated response. A document signer certificate is not a replacement for the signature of the authorized signatory of the organization.

A public key infrastructure (PKI) supports the distribution, verification, and revocation of public keys used for public-key encryption and enables linking identities with public-key certificates.

A PKI enables users and systems to securely exchange data over the Internet and verify the legitimacy of certificate-holding entities, such as webservers, other authenticated servers, and individuals. The PKI enables users to authenticate digital certificate holders and mediate the process of certificate revocation using cryptographic algorithms to secure the process.

A digital signature is an electronic method of signing an electronic document, whereas a Digital Signature Certificate is a computer-based record that

   ⦁ Identifies the Certifying Authority issuing it.
   ⦁ Has the name and other details that can identify the subscriber.
   ⦁ Contains the subscriber's public key.
   ⦁ It is digitally signed by the Certifying Authority issuing it.
   ⦁ It is valid for either one year or two years.