
Most of this code comes from the official documentation. OpenSSL comes with macOS and Linux by default, so for the purposes of this post, you’ll use that.Ĭreate a new folder named pspdfkit-demo and then run the following command in the terminal within that folder: You can use Adobe Acrobat Reader, or you can use the free tool openssl. There are multiple ways you can generate a self-signed certificate. In this article, the focus will be on self-signed certificates however, the process for inserting a digital signature is exactly the same for paid certificates. If you use a self-signed certificate, Adobe will show a warning that the certificate is self-signed and the owner may not be who they say they are. They then issue you a certificate, and any document signed with that certificate will be certified and validated on all other devices.

These kinds of companies confirm your identity and make sure you’re exactly who you say you are. If you plan on using digital signatures, you’ll have to work with a digital security company like DigiCert and buy one. One key (the private key) is used to sign the document, and the other key (the public key) is used to verify that the signature is valid and the data hasn’t been tampered with.Īfter a document has been digitally signed, you’ll see something like what’s shown below in Adobe Acrobat Reader (or any other tool that supports digital signatures). This can easily be done using a tool like OpenSSL. To digitally sign a document, a user needs to generate a public and private key pair (unless they already have one). To achieve this, digital signatures rely on public-key cryptography. It can also alert the viewer if someone has tried to tamper with the document after it was signed. You can digitally sign a document and confirm that it belongs to you, and anyone who then opens the document will be able to see that you signed it. If a signature is forged, a check can’t be deposited.ĭigital signatures are an enhanced version of a regular signature. For example, consider bank checks, which require physical signatures to confirm ownership.

Traditionally, we use signatures to verify identity. What Are Digital Certificates and Why Are They Important for Digital Signatures? You’ll also learn about digital certificates, their importance, and how to create your own self-signed digital certificate and then use it to sign a PDF via PSPDFKit.Īfter you’ve done everything outlined in this article, you’ll be able to verify the digital signature in a tool like Adobe Acrobat Reader.

You’ll be leveraging PSPDFKit’s JavaScript PDF signature library, along with our JavaScript digital signature PDF guide, to achieve this. In this post, you’ll learn how to insert a digital signature in a PDF using JavaScript.
