{"id":15183,"date":"2021-11-18T12:27:50","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T17:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/?p=15183"},"modified":"2021-11-19T13:16:15","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T18:16:15","slug":"public-key-signature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/public-key-signature\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Key Signature: What It Is & Why It’s Everywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PKI digital signatures can be found virtually everywhere \u2014 from digitally signed emails and software to secure websites. We\u2019ll break down what a PKI signature is and how it helps protect your data\u2019s integrity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Remember when you were a kid and your parents told you that if you put your mind to it, you can do or be anything you want? Well, on the internet, that is kind of true. You can pretty much make your own truth about yourself \u2014 you could be a teenager, an adult, or a company\u2019s CEO. Without a way to prove your claims are legitimate, no one will be any the wiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybercriminals know this and love to take advantage of it. That\u2019s why we have all the issues that we do today relating to phishing other sorts of predatory cyber attack techniques. Before the internet, you had to meet up with someone face to face to securely exchange information or send coded, encrypted messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now that people are communicating and doing business with others across the world instantaneously, face-to-face meetups are no longer feasible in most cases. So, to protect yourself and your customers, you need to have a way to prove your identity online and help people know that your emails, files, and software are legitimate and haven\u2019t been faked. This is where PKI signatures come into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what is a public key signature? How is a digital signature different from other electronic signatures? And where can you find PKI digital signatures in action?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s hash it out.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Public Key Signature? A Simple PKI Digital Signature Definition & Analogy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we can dive head-first into the nitty-gritty of public key signatures, it would be smart to at least briefly recap what a digital signature is as well as the role it plays in public key infrastructure<\/a> (PKI). After all, you can\u2019t run the play if you don\u2019t know the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A PKI signature<\/strong> is a form of verifiable digital identity that helps you prove you (or something you create) is real. In a way, it\u2019s kind of like a fingerprint because it\u2019s something that uniquely identifies you. However, it\u2019s more than \u201cjust\u201d identity. A digital signature is a way for your organization to affirm its legitimacy through the use of a digital certificate (such as a code signing certificate) and a cryptographic key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a nutshell, using a PKI digital signature enables you to attach your verifiable identity to software, code, emails, and other digital communications so people know they\u2019re not fake. This helps you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Prove your identity so you can do things that require authorized access (authentication)<\/li>
  2. Assert your organization\u2019s digital identity so people know you\u2019re you and not an imposter (non-repudiation) using the signature and other tools (such as timestamping), and<\/li>
  3. Protect and prove the authenticity of your messages, files, connections and data (data integrity).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    If that all seems a bit complicated, let\u2019s break this down with more of a simple analogy\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A Public Key Signature (PKI Digital Signature) Is the Wax Seal of Internet Communications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    A PKI signature is the modern equivalent of a wax seal<\/a> that people historically would use to secure sensitive communications. Before the internet or the invention of the telephone, people would either meet up in person or communicate remotely via written letters. Of course, without digital communications, these messages would have to be delivered by hand \u2014 via train, boat, or horseback riders \u2014 which means that these messages could be intercepted on their way to their intended recipients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Say, you want to send a sensitive message to a friend. You\u2019d want to have a way to let them know that you signed it and that the message hasn\u2019t been tampered with in any way. Years ago, you\u2019d use a wax seal to achieve this. This process would entail:<\/p>\n\n\n\n