Dictionary definition(s) for: digital signature

• n., An electronic signature based on public key cryptography.
  [ Archives - Template for analysis ]
• n., A code, generally created using a public key infrastructure (PKI), that is associated with a digital object that can verify that the object has not been altered and, in some contexts, may be used to authenticate the identity of the sender.
  [ Computer and Information Sciences - A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology (The Society of American Archivists) ]
  Pearce-Moses, Richard. A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005. http://www.archivists.org/glossary/index.asp
• n., A digital mark that has the function of a signature in, is attached to, or is logically associated with a record, and is used by a signatory to take responsibility for, or to give consent to, the content of the record.
  [ Archives - The InterPARES 1 Project Glossary ]
  Duranti, Luciana, ed. The Long-term Preservation of Authentic Electronic Records: Findings of the InterPARES Project. San Miniato, Italy: Archilab, 2005. Also available online at http://interpares.org/book.
• n., An electronic signature that cannot be forged. It is a computed digest of the text that is encrypted with the sender private key and sent along with the text message. The recipient decrypts the signature with the sender’s public key and recomputes the digest from the received text. If the digests match, the message is authenticated and proved intact from the sender.
  [ Computer and Information Sciences - The Computer Glossary: The Complete Illustrated Dictionary ]
  Freedman, Alan. The Computer Glossary: The Complete Illustrated Dictionary. 8th ed. New York: American Management Association, 1998.
• n., Data appended to a unit of data held on a computer, or a cryptographic transformation of a data unit, that allows the recipient of the data unit to prove its source and integrity and protects against forgery. The International Standards Organization defined this means of identification and protection. An electronic signature, as defined by the Electronic Communications Act 2000, has a similar effect in relation to a commercial agreement.
  [ Government - A Dictionary of Law ]
  A Dictionary of Law. Ed. Elizabeth A. Martin. Oxford University Press, 2002. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of British Columbia. 4 August 2006 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t49.e1044
• n., Extra data appended to a message which identifies and authenticates the sender and message data using public-key encryption.
  [ Computer and Information Sciences - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (FOLDOC) ]
  FOLDOC: Free Online Dictionary of Computing. http://foldoc.org/.
• n., In electronic commerce, a system to confirm the identity of a message's sender as well as the authenticity and integrity of electronic documents.
  [ Computer and Information Sciences - Harrod’s Librarians’ Glossary and Reference Book ]
  Harrod’s Librarians’ Glossary and Reference Book. 9th ed. Edited by Raymond John Prytherch. Brookfield, Vt.: Gower, 2000.