Is This Document Fake? Digital Signatures: The Invisible Seal that Guarantees the Authenticity and Integrity of Digital Documents

Abstract

Digital documents circulate easily, but it is not always clear how to check whether what arrives is authentic and has not been altered along the way. The talk explains what a digital signature is and why it works as an invisible seal of authenticity and integrity. It then compares the types of electronic signature, simple, advanced and qualified, showing what each one guarantees about identifying the signer and where each of them makes sense. It closes on the digital certification infrastructure that underpins those guarantees and on the advanced signature service available in Mozambique.