A major benefit of public key cryptography is that it provides a method for
employing digital signatures. The digital signatures provide:
- Authentication : proof of
identity of the parties to an electronic transaction;
- Integrity: assurance that the
contents of a message have not been tampered with or modified;
- Non-repudiation: proof of
agreement to the terms of the transaction and prevention of denial of
commitment.
A digital signature serves the same purpose as a handwritten signature.
However, a handwritten signature is easy to counterfeit. A digital signature is
superior to a handwritten signature in that it is nearly impossible to
counterfeit, plus it attests to the contents of the information as well as to
the identity of the signer.
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