8 Things to Look for in an E-signature Vendor

Selecting the right digital signature vendor is a crucial decision. The solution must be user-friendly and produce documents that remain legally valid for their entire lifespan without depending on a third party. To help you navigate this process, we’ve created a checklist of eight essential features to confirm when evaluating digital signature vendors.

1. Identity Verification

• Ensure that signers can verify their identity using validated or shared information.
• Does the service require identity proofing before applying a digital signature?
• How robust is the verification method? Does it involve simply receiving an email, or are there additional steps like answering security questions or entering a mobile-delivered code?
• Are documents accessible without authentication after being signed?
  
  

2. Audit Trail

A comprehensive audit trail tracks every action taken by signers and documents throughout the transaction, providing detailed evidence.

• Does the solution track every event in the signature process?
• How detailed is the captured information?
• Is the audit trail protected against tampering?
  
  

3. Notice and Consent

Laws such as the ESIGN Act mandate that users must be aware they are signing electronically and must be able to opt-out.

• Is the user notified clearly about using digital signatures?
• Is there an option to decline to sign?
• Is the consent to use e-signatures clear and tracked as an auditable action?
  
  

4. Signature and Intent

Users must take a clear action, indicating their intention to sign electronically.

• How are users prompted to sign a document?
• Does the process clearly communicate the intent to sign?
• Is the document viewed by the user identical to the final signed version?
  
  

5. Association

The signature must be linked to the specific data or records being signed, establishing a connection.

• How is the digital signature linked to the documents?
• Does the association rely on standards instead of a proprietary solution?
• Is the signature permanently embedded in the document or merely an attached image?
  
  

6. Integrity

Signatures must be tied to the document version viewed during signing, and documents should remain unchanged afterward.

• How are documents protected during the signing process?
• Does the service provide strong tamper evidence for signed documents?
• Can the service verify document integrity from the first to the last signature?
  
  

7. Validation Independence

Choose a vendor whose signatures can be validated independently of the vendor

• Are documents and signatures verifiable with PDF software? 
• Are digital signatures a permanent part of the document, inherently ensuring its integrity?
• Can signatures be validated without returning to the original vendor?
• Do signatures comply with international cryptographic and document standards such as RSA, DSA, PAdES, and PDF?
  
  

8. Long-term Validity

Signatures should be standards-based to ensure long-term validity.

• Can the digital signatures be validated over the long term?
• Does the solution use technology based on standards, ensuring future validation?
• Are the systems for signing proprietary to the vendor, or do they utilize established cryptographic standards?

By considering these eight critical features, you can confidently choose a digital signature vendor that meets your needs for security, compliance, and long-term validity.

SIGNiX excels in each of these critical areas, ensuring that your digital signatures are secure, compliant, and reliable.

Here’s how SIGNiX meets all the essential criteria on our checklist:

1. Identity Authentication

SIGNiX requires rigorous identity verification to ensure that signers are who they claim to be.

• Identity Proof: Users must validate their identity through multiple methods, often including answering security questions or entering a code sent to their mobile device, beyond just receiving an email.
• High Assurance Verification: Our authentication process is designed to be robust, preventing unauthorized access and ensuring that only verified individuals can apply a digital signature.
• ID Verify: We recommend ID Verify when an unknown signer is accessing a valuable document.  This method includes identity credential analysis, biometric comparison, and a liveness check.
• Secure Access: Documents cannot be accessed without proper authentication, both during and after the signing process, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected.
  
  

2. Audit Trail

SIGNiX provides a comprehensive audit trail for complete transaction transparency.

• Detailed Tracking: Every event in the signature process is meticulously tracked, including document views, signature applications, and any changes made.
• Secure Storage: The audit trail is stored securely and is protected against tampering, providing reliable evidence for the entire transaction lifecycle.
• Comprehensive Evidence: This feature ensures that you have detailed records to support legal compliance and dispute resolution.

3. Notice and Consent

SIGNiX ensures users are fully aware and have consented to the digital signature process.

• Clear Notifications: Users receive clear and prominent notifications about engaging in a digital signature process.
• Opt-Out Options: Users are given the opportunity to decline to sign electronically.
• Tracked Consent: Consent to use e-signatures is presented transparently and tracked as an auditable action, ensuring compliance with ESIGN and other relevant laws.
  
  

4. Signature and Intent

SIGNiX ensures clear intent and action in the digital signing process.

• User Prompts: Users are guided through the signing process with clear prompts, ensuring they understand and intend to sign.
• Intent Communication: The process clearly communicates the intention to sign, leaving no room for ambiguity.
• Document Viewing: Users can view the signable document in its final version, ensuring they know exactly what they are signing.
  
  

5. Association

SIGNiX securely links signatures to the corresponding data or records.

• Standards-Based Association: The digital signature is linked to the document using established standards, ensuring a strong and verifiable connection.
• Permanent Embedding: Signatures are permanently embedded in the document, not just attached as images, ensuring their integrity and permanence.
  
  

6. Integrity

SIGNiX maintains document integrity throughout the signing process.

• Protection During Signing: Documents are protected throughout the signing process, ensuring no unauthorized changes can be made.
• Tamper Evidence: Our service provides strong tamper evidence, indicating any alterations made during or after signing.
• Ongoing Integrity: SIGNiX ensures that documents can be protected and their integrity verified from the first signature to the last.
  
  

7. Validation Independence

SIGNiX allows for independent verification of signatures without ongoing vendor reliance.

• Non-Proprietary Formats: Documents and signatures are produced in non-proprietary formats, ensuring accessibility and readability with standard PDF viewing software.
• Permanent Signatures: Each digital signature is a permanent part of the document, inherently providing integrity and verifiability.
• Independent Validation: Signatures can be validated independently, without needing to return to SIGNiX, complying with international standards such as RSA, DSA, PAdES, and PDF.
  
  

8. Long-term Validity

SIGNiX ensures that electronic signatures remain valid long-term.

• Standards-Based Technology: Our technology is based on established standards, ensuring that signatures can be validated long into the future.
• Future-Proof Solutions: The systems used for signing are not proprietary, relying on established cryptographic tools that can be validated over time.
  
  

By choosing SIGNiX, you’re opting for a digital signature solution that meets and exceeds all critical criteria for security, compliance, and long-term validity. Our comprehensive approach ensures that your documents remain legally valid and verifiable, protecting your business and providing peace of mind.