Editing Electronic signature (section)

{{Short description|Data in electronic form, which is logically associated with other data in electronic form}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
An '''electronic signature''', or '''e-signature''', is [[data]] that is logically associated with other data and which is used by the [[signature|signatory]] to sign the associated data.<ref name="Cryptomathic_WHATISADIGITALSIGNATURE" /><ref name="eIDAS_Reference" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.signable.co.uk/what-are-e-signatures|title=What Are E-Signatures? {{!}} Signable {{!}}|access-date=December 20, 2016|archive-date=July 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731150250/https://www.signable.co.uk/what-are-e-signatures|url-status=live}}</ref> This type of signature has the same legal standing as a handwritten signature as long as it adheres to the requirements of the specific regulation under which it was created (e.g., [[eIDAS]] in the [[European Union]], [[Digital Signature Standard|NIST-DSS]] in the [[United States|USA]] or [[ZertES]] in [[Switzerland]]).<ref name="Cryptomathic_MajorStandardsDigSig" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rules.htm#Rule1001 |title=Federal Rules of Evidence &#124; Federal Rules of Evidence &#124; LII / Legal Information Institute |publisher=Law.cornell.edu |access-date=March 6, 2015 |archive-date=November 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125142039/http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rules.htm#Rule1001 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Electronic signatures are a legal concept distinct from [[digital signature]]s, a cryptographic mechanism often used to implement electronic signatures. While an electronic signature can be as simple as a name entered in an electronic document, digital signatures are increasingly used in [[e-commerce]] and in regulatory filings to implement electronic signatures in a [[Cryptography|cryptographically protected]] way. Standardization agencies like [[NIST]] or [[ETSI]] provide standards for their implementation (e.g., [[Digital Signature Algorithm|NIST-DSS]], [[XAdES]] or [[PAdES]]).<ref name=Cryptomathic_MajorStandardsDigSig>{{cite web|last1=Turner|first1=Dawn|title=Major Standards and Compliance of Digital Signatures - A World-Wide Consideration|url=http://www.cryptomathic.com/news-events/blog/major-standards-and-compliance-of-digital-signatures-a-world-wide-consideration|publisher=Cryptomathic|access-date=January 7, 2016|archive-date=February 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209203857/http://www.cryptomathic.com/news-events/blog/major-standards-and-compliance-of-digital-signatures-a-world-wide-consideration|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=CryptomathicDigSigServicesAshiqJA>{{cite web|last1=JA|first1=Ashiq|title=Recommendations for Providing Digital Signature Services|url=http://www.cryptomathic.com/news-events/blog/recommendations-for-providing-digital-signature-services|publisher=Cryptomathic|access-date=January 7, 2016|archive-date=February 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160209203856/http://www.cryptomathic.com/news-events/blog/recommendations-for-providing-digital-signature-services|url-status=live}}</ref> The concept itself is not new, with [[common law]] jurisdictions having recognized [[telegraph]] signatures as far back as the mid-19th century and [[fax]]ed signatures since the 1980s.