Digital Signature—The method of a signature on paper is proof of this. Everything written on this page is within our knowledge. Do we agree with it or not? Similarly, a digital signature is a signature made by electronic means.
Which shows our consent. It is a digital signature created with different technology. The information necessary to use it, such as the password, is available only to that person. Whose digital signature is this? Someone else who doesn’t know that password. He cannot digitally sign you.
For example, just as we need our ID and password to log into our Gmail or Facebook account, this ID and password is also a digital signature. But only Gmail or Facebook accept it. and provide recognition.
Another example is whenever we create an account on a website or app, he sends us the OTP (one-time password), which is only valid for a certain time and can only be used once. This is also an example of a digital signature.
What is a digital signature?
A digital signature is a secret number or code generated by combining your Aadhaar number, PAN card number, and the data of the digital signature service provider using mathematics and computer algorithms. Only you know.
Whenever you need to sign digitally, you can do your digital signature with the help of this secret number or code. Because no other person or group of people is aware of that secret code or number, no one can copy your digital signature.
How does Digital Signature work?
A digital signature is entirely different and unique for each user. It works on a special computer algorithm called PKI (Public Infrastructure). Digital signature A facilitating organization generates two or more codes using the same computer algorithm. That is called the key. One of these two codes is the public key, and the other is a private key.
The public key is the key to this. The private key is secret, which only the user knows. He uses that private key whenever he does a digital signature anywhere.
Types of Digital Signature
There are three types of digital signatures.
First class 1 digital signature
Under this, the identity or authenticity of the person signing the digital signature is verified using his/her email account.
Second class 2 digital signature
Under this, the organization providing the digital signature facility ensures that the report or document you are submitting is correct. You approve of it, and it will be your responsibility to find out if it is wrong. It can be used by any common man or any business company.
3rd Class 3 Digital Signature
This category of digital signature is considered the most secure and reliable. Because it is issued directly by the digital signature provider organization, the user must appear personally before the organization provides the digital signature facility to get it. The institution will not offer this facility to you without your appearance in person, and you won’t be able to benefit from it.
Among the above three digital signature features, the Class 1 digital signature is considered the lightest and weakest in terms of security and privacy. The Class 3 digital signature facility is regarded as the best in terms of security and confidentiality and is robust and powerful.
Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
It is a digital certificate created and delivered through a digital medium, issued by the organization providing the digital signature service to the users. This certificate contains the user’s name, email address, residential address, pin code, country, state when the certificate was issued, by whom, and duration.
Importance of digital signature
In today’s environment, everything is becoming digital, and paperwork is emphasized from home. In this situation, the importance of a digital signature increases even more. Today, all tasks are going digital, be it tendering for government works, buying a house, filing income tax returns, or registering a company. And they are being filled out online with the help of the internet.
In such a situation, the use of digital signatures continues with a loud noise. Document verification for any work, online form filling, online GST. Filling and many other tasks can be done very quickly at home or your workplace with the help of a digital signature.
Digital Signature Certificate Validation
As per the Information Technology Act 2000, a digital signature is valid throughout India. They can only be issued by officers or organizations licensed by the Ministry of Information and Technology. This digital signature certificate also has an issue date and an expiration date, which is printed on this digital signature certificate.
Where is a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) required?
You may need a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) at the following locations:
- To file an income tax return.
- E Filing of Company Inc.
- For e-verification by Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, and Cost Accountants.
- To file an official tender.
- To file trademark and copyright applications.
- To e-sign contracts and agreements.
How to Create a Digital Signature
To create a digital signature, you first need a digital certificate. However, digital signatures are provided entirely by the certificate authority, known as CA., which is recognized and licensed by the Government under Section 24 of the Information Technology Act to issue digital signatures. After creating a CA digital certificate, digitally signing it gives you your signature.
The fee charged by a digital signature facilitation organization may vary from organization to organization. The digital signature issued by these institutions is valid for one year or two years. Getting a digital signature certificate from these institutions usually takes a week.
Advantages of Digital Signature
Any paper or document presented with a digital signature can be tested for authenticity. It is right or wrong.
This is a special feature of the digital signature: once you have affixed your digital signature to any document or documents, the document cannot be altered thereafter, nor can any kind of misbehavior be done with it. If that happens, the digital signature will not be valid, and the system will not accept it. Due to this feature, duplication of documents can be avoided.
Only the user knows the private key for the digital signature. Hence, the user cannot repudiate any document he has digitally signed in the future.
Digital signature fee
Generally, the Class 2 Individual Digital Signature fee is Rs.899 (valid for one year); similarly, the Class 3 Individual Digital Signature fee is Rs.1,999 (valid for one year), and the DGFT/DSC Digital Signature fee is one year—2,499 for Rs.
Friends, this article has given you all the information about a digital signature. By keeping your documents safe, you can protect yourself from fraud, etc. Let us know if you have any other questions or suggestions related to a digital signature by messaging us in the comment box below. If you like this information, you can help by sharing it with any of your friends or those who need it.
