UNIT-1

Ques 2 :- Write a note on Digital Signature. Also state its benefits. (V.IMP) [4]

Ans :- Digital signature or digital signature scheme is a mathematical scheme for

demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. A valid digital
signature gives a recipient reason to believe that the message was created by a
known sender, and that it was not altered in transit. Digital signatures are commonly
used for software distribution, financial transactions, and in other cases where it is
important to detect forgery or tampering. A digital signature (not to be confused
with a digital certificate) is an electronic rather than a written signature that can be
used by someone to authenticate the identity of the sender of a message or of the
signer of a document.

Benefit of Digital Signature :-

1. Digital being added to almost anything makes it a lot faster than the non-digital version
of that thing. Similarly a digital signature can be used to send documents a lot faster,
almost instantaneously, as the documents can now be sent via mail and do not need to be
delivered in person or via courier.
2. Also an added advantage would be the decreased cost of sending the documents as the
digital signatures are comparatively a lot less expensive than any courier service charge
for sending documents.
3. Not only this, a document sent via courier or in person could be tampered with on the
way but when sent using a digital signature it gets encrypted in such a way that any kind
of tampering with the document is not possible.
4. Further, a document which is digitally signed can effortlessly tracked and located in few
minutes.
5. Nobody else can fake your digital signature or present an electronic file incorrectly
claiming it was signed by you.
6. The documents containing digital signatures are in no way different form documents
containing a pen on paper signature as they would even stand in court when produced
because a digital signature cannot be copied and also contains a date and time stamp.