Adobe 22020737 Acrobat X Pro Manual - Page 256

Comparing ink signatures with digital signatures, Setting up signing, Set signing preferences

Page 256 highlights

USING ACROBAT X PRO 250 Digital signatures Comparing ink signatures with digital signatures You can sign PDFs with ink signatures using graphics tablets and other input devices. An ink signature is a handwritten mark, similar to a free-form drawing you make by choosing Tools > Sign & Certify > Apply Ink Signature in Acrobat. Ink signatures do not provide the advanced functionality available with digital signatures. Unlike a digital signature, an ink signature does not use a digital ID. Therefore, it is not possible to verify the identity of the signer using ink signature. A digital signature can be verified as valid. The digital signature becomes invalid if changes are made to the document after it is signed. An ink signature does not carry any validity state. Moreover, an ink signature does not notify the recipient about changes made to a document after it is signed. Ink signatures do not appear in the Signatures pane of the document. Setting up signing You can expedite the signing process and optimize your results by making the following preparations in advance. Note: Some situations require using particular digital IDs for signing. For example, a corporation or government agency can require individuals to use only digital IDs issued by that agency to sign official documents. Inquire about the digital signature policies of your organization to determine the appropriate source of your digital ID. • Get a digital ID from your own organization, buy a digital ID (see the Adobe website for security partners), or create a self-signed one. See "Create a self-signed digital ID" on page 239. You can't sign a PDF without a digital id. Note: You cannot create self-signed digital IDs from within FIPS mode. • Set the default signing method. • Create an appearance for your digital signature. (See "Create the signature appearance" on page 251.) • Use Preview Document mode to suppress any dynamic content that can alter the appearance of the document and mislead you into signing an unsuitable document. For information about using the Preview Document mode, see "Sign in Preview Document mode" on page 259. • Review all the pages in a document before you sign. Documents can contain signature fields on multiple pages. • Configure the signing application. Both authors and signers should configure their application environment. (See "Set signing preferences" on page 250.) For details on the full range of configuration options in enterprise settings, see the Digital Signature Guide (PDF) at learn.adobe.com/wiki/display/security/Document+Library. • Choose a signature type. Learn about approval and certification signatures to determine the type you should choose to sign your document. (See "Signature types" on page 257.) Set signing preferences Signing workflow preferences control what you can see and do when the signing dialog box opens. You can allow certain actions, hide and display data fields, and change how content affects the signing process. Setting signing preferences impacts your ability to see what you are signing. For information on the available signing preferences, see "Signing Workflow Preferences" in the Digital Signature Guide (PDF) at www.adobe.com/go/learn_acr_security_en. Last updated 10/11/2011

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250
USING ACROBAT X PRO
Digital signatures
Last updated 10/11/2011
Comparing ink signatures with digital signatures
You can sign PDFs with ink signatures using graphics tablets and other input devices. An
ink signature
is a handwritten
mark, similar to a free-form drawing you make by choosing Tools > Sign & Certify > Apply Ink Signature in Acrobat.
Ink signatures do not provide the advanced functionality available with digital signatures. Unlike a digital signature,
an ink signature does not use a digital ID. Therefore, it is not possible to verify the identity of the signer using ink
signature. A digital signature can be verified as valid. The digital signature becomes invalid if changes are made to the
document after it is signed. An ink signature does not carry any validity state. Moreover, an ink signature does not
notify the recipient about changes made to a document after it is signed. Ink signatures do not appear in the Signatures
pane of the document.
Setting up signing
You can expedite the signing process and optimize your results by making the following preparations in advance.
Note:
Some situations require using particular digital IDs for signing. For example, a corporation or government agency
can require individuals to use only digital IDs issued by that agency to sign official documents. Inquire about the digital
signature policies of your organization to determine the appropriate source of your digital ID.
Get a digital ID from your own organization, buy a digital ID (see the Adobe website for security partners), or create
a self-signed one. See “
Create a self-signed digital ID
” on page
239. You can’t sign a PDF without a digital id.
Note:
You cannot create self-signed digital IDs from within FIPS mode.
Set the default signing method.
Create an appearance for your digital signature. (See “
Create the signature appearance
” on page
251.)
Use Preview Document mode to suppress any dynamic content that can alter the appearance of the document and
mislead you into signing an unsuitable document. For information about using the Preview Document mode, see
Sign in Preview Document mode
” on page
259.
Review all the pages in a document before you sign. Documents can contain signature fields on multiple pages.
Configure the signing application. Both authors and signers should configure their application environment. (See
Set signing preferences
” on page
250.)
For details on the full range of configuration options in enterprise settings, see the
Digital Signature Guide
(PDF)
at
learn.adobe.com/wiki/display/security/Document+Library
.
Choose a signature type. Learn about approval and certification signatures to determine the type you should choose
to sign your document. (See “
Signature types
” on page
257.)
Set signing preferences
Signing workflow preferences control what you can see and do when the signing dialog box opens. You can allow
certain actions, hide and display data fields, and change how content affects the signing process. Setting signing
preferences impacts your ability to see what you are signing. For information on the available signing preferences, see
“Signing Workflow Preferences” in the
Digital Signature Guide
(PDF) at
www.adobe.com/go/learn_acr_security_en
.