{"id":15872,"date":"2022-11-07T09:25:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T14:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/?p=15872"},"modified":"2023-05-24T10:26:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T14:26:43","slug":"when-to-use-a-digital-signature-certificate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/when-to-use-a-digital-signature-certificate\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Examples of When to Use a Digital Signature Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-whether-you-re-a-software-creator-or-sales-manager-digital-signatures-are-essential-to-the-security-and-authenticity-of-your-data-here-are-several-of-the-ways-that-you-can-use-digital-signature-certificates-to-enhance-trust-in-your-organization\">Whether you\u2019re a software creator or sales manager, digital signatures are essential to the security and authenticity of your data. Here are several of the ways that you can use digital signature certificates to enhance trust in your organization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We live in a world where you really have to question everything: is this email from your boss legitimate? Is the software update you want to install authentic, or is it a trojan that\u2019s waiting to infect your device? When you log in to your favorite eCommerce website, how do you know it\u2019s legitimate?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A digital signature certificate could hold the answer in all of these cases. These digital certificates are tiny data files help your web or email client verify that the file or other party you\u2019re connecting to is trustworthy and authentic. This way, you don\u2019t inadvertently share your sensitive login information or other data with cybercriminals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But how can you use digital signature certificates to your advantage? We\u2019ll go over all of that in just a few moments. But first, we think it would benefit our newer readers to briefly recap what a digital signature is and why you need a digital signature certificate to create it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s hash it out.<span id=\"newline\"><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Note:<\/em><\/strong><em> If you\u2019re already well acquainted with digital signatures and digital signature certificates, jump ahead to our list of <a href=\"#digital-signature-certificate-use-cases\">digital signature certificate use cases.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:150.25px;--tl-form-height-t:121.4583px;--tl-form-height-d:121.4583px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_12753 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-a-digital-signature-a-quick-recap\">What Is a Digital Signature? A Quick Recap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-digital-signature\/\">Digital signatures<\/a>, also called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/public-key-signature\/\">public key signatures<\/a>, are a cryptographic method of showing who created a digital asset and ensuring the item hasn\u2019t been changed by another party. Examples of such assets include emails, PDFs, Word files, software application codes, etc. Applications frequently use visual marks of some kind (e.g., a ribbon mark in Microsoft Outlook) to represent digital signatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These signatures are trusted because you need to have a special file called a digital signature certificate in order to sign them digitally. But before you can get this digital certificate, a publicly trusted third party (called a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-certificate-authority-ca-and-what-do-they-do\/\">certificate authority<\/a> or CA) has to carefully vet your identity. Once you receive and start using your digital signature certificate, it proves that whatever you sign is authentic because it was created and signed by you, and your identity has been validated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Digital signatures are a type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/digital-signatures-why-you-should-sign-everything\/\">electronic signature<\/a>. But unlike regular electronic signatures, which generally look similar to handwritten signatures, digital signatures might not look anything like traditional signatures. Here are a few quick examples to showcase the difference between electronic and digital signatures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"989\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/electronic-vs-digital-signature-example.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15893\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/electronic-vs-digital-signature-example.jpg 989w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/electronic-vs-digital-signature-example-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/electronic-vs-digital-signature-example-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 989px) 100vw, 989px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image caption: A visual comparison that shows the difference between some of the visual indicators that may display for an electronic signature (left) and a digital signature (right). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-digital-signatures-are-created\">How Digital Signatures Are Created<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create a digital signature, you first need to have a digital certificate in hand. A digital certificate is a small data file that contains verified, identifying information about you or your organization. (This is the main info that displays to users.) But that\u2019s not all that\u2019s required. Without getting too technical, digital signatures are created by applying two cryptographic tools to the data you wish to protect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A special cryptographic function (called a <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-hash-function-in-cryptography-a-beginners-guide\/\"><strong>hash function<\/strong><\/a><strong> or hash algorithm) \u2014 <\/strong>This creates a hash value (a mishmash of letters and characters) of a fixed length, which masks the true size of the input and ensures the integrity of the data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A private key, which encrypts the hash value \u2014<\/strong> When the recipient receives or downloads the file, they can decrypt it using the signer\u2019s public key. This key ensures only the intended user can read the data. &nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-digital-signatures-enable-you-to-prove-you-and-your-files-are-legitimate\">Digital Signatures Enable You to Prove You and Your Files Are Legitimate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A digital signature validates your identity to other parties and ties it to whatever you\u2019ve created and signed. It&#8217;s one of the critical elements that helps create <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digicert.com\/insights\/digital-trust\">digital trust<\/a> in our otherwise insecure online world. Digital signatures pair digital identity with complex security measures to help prove you and your digital assets are authentic and unaltered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The important takeaway here is that digital signatures offer two key qualities that you won\u2019t find in regular electronic signatures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Authentication<\/strong> \u2014 This means you can prove that you or something you created is legitimate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-Repudiation<\/strong> \u2014 This ensures recipients that you, and only you, created or signed the item in question; that an imposter didn\u2019t fraudulently make it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historically, if you wanted to prove that you\u2019re the legitimate signer of a document, you\u2019d have to meet up with a public notary to have them observe you signing it. This process required providing the notary with verifiable proof of identity \u2014 this is typically some form of ID from a trusted entity (i.e., your driver\u2019s license or ID issued by your state or country\u2019s government).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is fine if you\u2019re physically located in the same area where it\u2019s easy to meet up to carry out this process. But what if you\u2019re trying to do business with someone in another country? Meeting up face-to-face then becomes a lot more complicated and costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, where do you find digital signatures? All over the place, honestly. You\u2019ll find digital signatures used in everything from website connections to document signing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-need-a-digital-signature-certificate-to-use-your-digital-signature\">You Need a Digital Signature Certificate to Use Your Digital Signature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Digital signatures are typically stored in special files known as digital certificates. For the sake of this article, we\u2019ll call them digital signature certificates. Digital signature certificates are small digital files that enable you to use those signatures online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few examples of these digital signature certificates include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/products\/email-document-signing-certificates.aspx\">Email signing certificates<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/what-you-need-to-know-about-s-mime\/\">S\/MIME certificates<\/a>),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/digicert\/document-signing.aspx\">Document signing certificates<\/a>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/products\/code-signing-certificates.aspx\">Code signing certificates<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, there\u2019s another type of digital certificate that uses digital signatures: an SSL\/TLS certificate. This file is what enables you to prove that your website is legitimate because it\u2019s been signed off on by a trusted CA (like DigiCert or Sectigo). But we\u2019ll talk more about that in a little bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Okay, now that we have all of that out of the way, let\u2019s jump right to what you need to know about how you can use each of these digital signature certificates\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:861.156px;--tl-form-height-t:899.625px;--tl-form-height-d:899.625px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_12653 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"digital-signature-certificate-use-cases\">5 Digital Signature Certificate Use Cases For Your Business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For virtually all of our readers, you\u2019re likely already using digital signature certificates in one way or another (you just might not know it). However, there may be some use cases that you\u2019re not as familiar with or aren\u2019t sure how to implement within your IT environment. We\u2019re here to explore those and more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-you-need-a-way-to-show-your-microsoft-office-and-pdf-files-are-authentic\">1. You Need a Way to Show Your Microsoft Office and PDF Files Are Authentic<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/word-digital-signature-details.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of a Microsoft Word digitally signed document\" class=\"wp-image-15892\" width=\"469\" height=\"374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/word-digital-signature-details.png 664w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/word-digital-signature-details-300x239.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 469px) 100vw, 469px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: A screenshot of how the digital signature information displays in a digitally signed Microsoft Word document.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nowadays, you practically can\u2019t do anything within your business without using Word, Excel, or PDF files. Of course, you\u2019d like to assume that someone will send you only legitimate files via email. However, the reality isn\u2019t as pretty. While it may be true, say, 90% of the time, the remaining percentage is enough to crack those rose-colored glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/cyber-security-statistics\/\">cyber security statistics<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/cyber-crime-statistics\/\">cyber crime statistics<\/a> show, the threat landscape continues to change. New threat actors seemingly arrive on the scene almost daily and attack methods evolve with them. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sonicwall.com\/medialibrary\/en\/white-paper\/2022-sonicwall-cyber-threat-report.pdf\">SonicWall reports<\/a> the prevalence of malicious Microsoft Office files decreased 64% in 2021; malicious PDFs, on the other hand, increased 52%.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, how can you show users that your documents and files are legitimate? Digitally sign them first using a document signing certificate. For example, this is what it looks like when you sign a Word document using a document signing certificate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what it looks like when you sign an Adobe PDF file with an applicable digital signature certificate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"741\" height=\"259\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/adobe-digital-signature-certificate-visual-mark.png\" alt=\"An example digital signature certificate's display for a PDF document\" class=\"wp-image-15891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/adobe-digital-signature-certificate-visual-mark.png 741w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/adobe-digital-signature-certificate-visual-mark-300x105.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 741px) 100vw, 741px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: A screenshot of how a digital signature\u2019s information displays in a digitally signed Adobe PDF file.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-you-want-to-eliminate-warning-messages-when-users-download-your-software\">2. You Want to Eliminate Warning Messages When Users Download Your Software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SonicWall\u2019s 2022 Cyber Threat Report data shows that malicious executables represented a whopping 30.27% of the cybersecurity company\u2019s malicious file detections. As such, as a software developer or publisher, you need to have a way to show that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your software is authentic,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s actually from you, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No one\u2019s modified it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can do this using a code signing certificate. These certificates are typically offered with two options of validation levels: organizational (i.e., standard) and extended. <em>(Note: Some certificate authorities offer individual validation as well.)<\/em> When you use this type of digital signature certificate to sign your software, you attach your organization&#8217;s verified information to the file regardless of the validation type you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"925\" height=\"526\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-vs-signed-software-example.jpg\" alt=\"A side-by-side comparison of an unsigned executable versus a digitally signed executable\" class=\"wp-image-15890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-vs-signed-software-example.jpg 925w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-vs-signed-software-example-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-vs-signed-software-example-768x437.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 925px) 100vw, 925px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: A set of screenshots that show the difference between how files display when they\u2019re digitally signed (right) and are not digitally signed (left). A digital signature certificate lets you display your verified publisher name on the installation prompt screen.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both types of certificates are trusted automatically by browsers and operating systems. The big difference between the two validation levels is that Windows Defender SmartScreen requires an EV certificate if you don\u2019t want an ugly warning message to pop up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"833\" height=\"781\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-software-microsoft-defender-smartscreen.png\" alt=\"A Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warning message\" class=\"wp-image-15889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-software-microsoft-defender-smartscreen.png 833w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-software-microsoft-defender-smartscreen-300x281.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/unsigned-software-microsoft-defender-smartscreen-768x720.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: A screenshot of the warning message that Windows Defender SmartScreen displays when you try to install unsigned software.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-you-want-to-give-customers-and-prospects-a-reason-to-trust-your-website\">3. You Want to Give Customers and Prospects a Reason to Trust Your Website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trust is hard to earn yet fragile as glass. Once you earn your customers\u2019 trust, you need to do everything possible to protect it. Having a way to prove that your website \u2014 your brand\u2019s digital representation \u2014 is legitimate is essential to that mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every time you visit your favorite website, the server sends your browser a file (i.e., an SSL\/TLS certificate) containing crucial identifying data that proves you\u2019re connecting to the right server. This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-website-security-certificate-and-what-does-it-do-for-your-business\/\">website security certificate<\/a> is issued and digitally signed by a publicly trusted entity known as a certificate authority (CA). The CA\u2019s trusted root<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"490\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/digital-signature-certificate-chain-of-trust-1024x490.jpg\" alt=\"A digital signature certificate's chain of trust\" class=\"wp-image-15888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/digital-signature-certificate-chain-of-trust-1024x490.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/digital-signature-certificate-chain-of-trust-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/digital-signature-certificate-chain-of-trust-768x368.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/digital-signature-certificate-chain-of-trust.jpg 1199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: A screenshot of the certificate authority\u2019s chain of trust, which showcases the digital signatures of each certificate that signs the next to attest to its authenticity.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The CA\u2019s digital signature means that this globally trusted entity is vouching for you, saying that you\u2019ve, essentially, been vetted and are trusted. Having such a way to prove your organization\u2019s authenticity is particularly crucial when you consider recent <a href=\"https:\/\/bolster.ai\/resources-center\/download\/report\/2022-phishing-online-fraud\">data from Bolster<\/a> shows that their systems detected nearly 10.7 million phishing and scam pages in 2021 alone. To put this in more relatable terms, it means Bolster\u2019s team detected an average of 29,190 fraudulent pages <em>every day<\/em> throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want your authentic website to stand out from the sea of fraudsters\u2019 sites? Then slap your vetted and validated identity on it by installing an SSL\/TLS certificate right away. In addition to asserting your digital identity, SSL\/TLS certificates enable users to communicate securely with your site. If you install an extended validation (EV) code signing certificate, then you take your digital identity to another level by displaying your verified company information upfront. This way, users don\u2019t have to dig around your certificate info to find the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"951\" height=\"625\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/thesslstore-ssl-tls-digital-signature-certificate.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of The SSL Store's home page and SSL\/TLS digital signature certificate information displaying\" class=\"wp-image-15887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/thesslstore-ssl-tls-digital-signature-certificate.png 951w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/thesslstore-ssl-tls-digital-signature-certificate-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/thesslstore-ssl-tls-digital-signature-certificate-768x505.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 951px) 100vw, 951px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: A screenshot of the verified company information for TheSSLstore.com.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-you-need-to-prove-to-recipients-that-your-email-communications-are-authentic\">4. You Need to Prove to Recipients That Your Email Communications Are Authentic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Phishing is one of the top cyber attack methods used by cybercriminals. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verizon.com\/business\/resources\/reports\/dbir\/\">Verizon\u2019s 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report<\/a> (DBIR) data shows that email is one of the two leading attack vectors used in known data breaches. Furthermore, their report indicates that 75% of the malware the median organization received in 2021 came via email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sure, you can \u2014 and should \u2014 train your employees to recognize the threats associated with phishing attacks and social engineering. But it doesn\u2019t hurt to add another more technical layer of security to the equation; this is where digital signature certificates for email come into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These certificates are known as email signing certificates or S\/MIME (single\/multi-purpose internet mail extension) certificates. They allow you to attach your digital signature to messages so your recipients can confirm they came from you. These certificates offer the added benefit of enabling you to encrypt your emails as well. This helps to provide end-to-end encryption by securing the emails before they leave your email server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s a quick look at what a digitally signed email looks like to your recipient:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"531\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/email-digital-signature-certificate-example-ribbon-1024x531.png\" alt=\"A screenshot that shows an email message that was signed by a digital signature certificate\" class=\"wp-image-15886\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/email-digital-signature-certificate-example-ribbon-1024x531.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/email-digital-signature-certificate-example-ribbon-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/email-digital-signature-certificate-example-ribbon-768x398.png 768w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/email-digital-signature-certificate-example-ribbon.png 1053w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: The screenshot above shows both the verified \u201csigned by\u201d information and the ribbon icon that indicate I\u2019d digitally signed and sent the email to one of my colleagues.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-you-want-to-authenticate-without-the-risks-associated-with-traditional-passwords\">5. You Want to Authenticate Without the Risks Associated with Traditional Passwords<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s no such thing as a perfect authentication method; an enterprising cybercriminal will inevitably find a way to authenticate as you (fraudulently) if they\u2019re truly motivated. But the goal is to make yourself as difficult a target as possible; this way, 99% of cybercriminals will give up and move on to the next target. Make yourself one of the hardest-to-reach fruits on the tree instead of one of the easy-to-steal, low-hanging fruits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where a type of digital signature certificate, known as a client authentication certificate, can come in handy. A client authentication certificate enables you to authenticate without having to type in a username or password. Instead, you have a PKI certificate installed on your device, enabling you to authenticate automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why is this necessary? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forgerock.com\/resources\/whitepaper\/2022-forgerock-consumer-identity-breach-report\">ForgeRock reports<\/a> that 50% of cyber attacks they studied were due to unauthorized access through various account compromises. Of course, there are many ways accounts can become compromised. One of the most common methods is phishing, which involves an attacker stealing a user\u2019s login information using social engineering tactics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using PKI-based authentication instead of a username-password combination means you no longer have a password that can be phished or stolen via malware. You simply go to the web app or system you have permission to access, and the authentication \u201cmagic\u201d happens on the backend automatically. No muss, no fuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"910\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/client-authentication-digital-signature-certificate.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot of a digital signature certificate's information that displays for a client authentication certificate\" class=\"wp-image-15885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/client-authentication-digital-signature-certificate.jpg 910w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/client-authentication-digital-signature-certificate-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/client-authentication-digital-signature-certificate-768x530.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 910px) 100vw, 910px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Image caption: An example of a client authentication certificate. This type of digital signature certificate enables a user to authenticate automatically without using traditional login credentials.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-takeaways-on-digital-signature-certificates\">Final Takeaways on Digital Signature Certificates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s now more important than ever to secure your organization\u2019s digital identity and data. Choosing to use a digital signature certificate to secure your digital assets is the difference between sending or receiving authenticated communications or files instead of unauthenticated (and potentially dangerous) ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get a digital signature certificate for your website, emails, documents, or software:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Evaluate what you need to secure and authenticate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to your favorite CA or authorized reseller\u2019s website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose the certificate(s) based on the type(s) of coverage and validation type.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purchase your certificate(s).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generate a certificate signing request (CSR) for domain validation (DV) and organization validation (OV) certificates, if applicable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide the CA with the necessary organizational information to complete validation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collect your digital signature certificate and install it on your server, device, or client.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Start using your certificate right away!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<span style=\"--tl-form-height-m:801.312px;--tl-form-height-t:638.344px;--tl-form-height-d:638.344px;\" class=\"tl-placeholder-f-type-shortcode_12763 tl-preload-form\"><span><\/span><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you\u2019re a software creator or sales manager, digital signatures are essential to the security and authenticity of your data. Here are several of the ways that you can use&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":15894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":0,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[16,10200],"tags":[13205],"class_list":["post-15872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hashing-out-cyber-security","category-monthly-digest","tag-digital-signature-certificate","post-with-tags"],"views":19588,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/digital-signature-certificate-feature.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15872\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thesslstore.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}