Difference Between Electronic Signatures and Digital Signatures

oving away from the traditional methods of document signing and authentication, digital signatures and electronic signatures give organizations an edge over technology. Often the two terms are used interchangeably, however, the two terms are different despite the similarities they share.

In this blog, we will look at the difference between digital signatures and electronic signatures.

Are Electronic Signatures the same as Digital Signatures?

Despite the similarities that the two share, electronic signatures are not the same as digital signatures and cannot be used interchangeably.

Both digital and electronic signatures are an alternative to conventional wet signatures and offer a greater level of integrity and security to the document authentication process. These signatures offer encryption and authentication protocols for the security of the signatory.

However, the two vary in the functions they perform and the features that they possess. Before diving into the differences, let us understand the meaning of electronic signatures and digital signatures.

What are Electronic Signatures?

Electronic Signatures are the digital counterpart of ink signatures, which can be in the form of symbols, images, logos, and so on. These signatures convey the intent of the signatory and are not standardized by coding or protocols.

Electronic Signatures are largely used to verify documents and are not supported by any certifying authorities.

What are Digital Signatures?

Digital Signatures are secured signatures that use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and encryption standards. These signatures offer a higher sense of security and identification of the signatory. Digital Signatures are verified by trusted certifying authorities.

In most cases, digital signatures are preferred over electronic signatures.

Difference between Digital Signatures and Electronic Signatures

	Digital Signatures	Electronic Signatures
Meaning	Digital Signatures are secured signatures that are used to secure the document.	Electronic Signatures are digital forms of wet signatures that are used to verify documents.
Purpose	Digital Signatures verify the authenticity and integrity of the document and the signatory.	Electronic Signatures convey the intent and acknowledgment of the signatory.
How is it created?	Digital Signatures are created using software and algorithms and are built on an advanced method called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).	Electronic Signatures are in the form of symbols, images, or processes, which can be created in the form of Pdfs or Word documents.
Level of Security	Digital Signatures offer a higher level of security as they use cryptographic encryption methods and offer audit trails to avoid tampering.	Electronic Signatures are secure, however, they do not use any advanced protocols or encryptions for document security.
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