--- title: Updates, Blogs, News and Case Studies | SigningHub™ | Liaquat Khan description: SigningHub by Ascertia meets all the signing requirements for businesses, enterprises and individuals. Learn more about how we work on our website. --- [![](https://blog.signinghub.com/hubfs/Signinghub-Images/sh-blog-logo-listing-1.png)](https://blog.signinghub.com/) #### New Features, Upcoming Releases & everything else you need to know [Contact Us](https://www.signinghub.com/contact-us/) ## Liaquat Khan ![](https://blog.signinghub.com/hubfs/LK.png) ### Recent Posts ## [International document regulations you need to know](https://blog.signinghub.com/international-document-regulations-you-need-to-know) Posted by [Liaquat Khan](https://blog.signinghub.com/author/liaquat-khan) on 18-Oct-2017 08:31:07 [![](https://blog.signinghub.com/hubfs/Internation-regulation.jpg)](https://blog.signinghub.com/international-document-regulations-you-need-to-know) In this blog, we discuss the international document regulations you need to know when making a digital transformation. 60+ countries have standards and legal frameworks for eSignatures and digital transactions. This list grows each year, which makes it challenging for international organisations to deliver compliant business processes. [Read More](https://blog.signinghub.com/international-document-regulations-you-need-to-know) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.signinghub.com/international-document-regulations-you-need-to-know#comments-listing) ## [Cloud signing: Advanced PKI digital signatures made easy](https://blog.signinghub.com/cloud-signing-advanced-pki-digital-signatures-made-easy) Posted by [Liaquat Khan](https://blog.signinghub.com/author/liaquat-khan) on 29-Jul-2015 14:12:00 [![](https://blog.signinghub.com/hubfs/blog-post-Graphic_03.jpg)](https://blog.signinghub.com/cloud-signing-advanced-pki-digital-signatures-made-easy) --- Ensuring secure, remote signing doesn't have to be challenging. In our latest blog, we're discussing cloud signing and the ease of using advanced PKI digital signatures. ## Background of advanced digital signatures Advanced digital signatures require each user to have their own unique signing key. The security of the system then relies on the fact that the user's private signing key is not accessible to anyone else other than the owner. If implemented properly it allows an independent judge to determine that any **[digital signatures](https://www.signinghub.com/digital-signatures/)** produced with the user's private key must have been created by the owner and no one else. It ensures the "non-repudiation" property, where signers can't reasonably deny the signatures they have created.  ## Cloud signing - solving digital signature challenges Past digital signature technology was costly and issuing each user with their own private signing key in a secure manner was complex. Now with the advent of cloud computing and, in particular, cloud Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), the situation has changed dramatically. Today, advanced digital signature technology can be low-cost, easy to use and secure, so that it can be applied to any business use case, even on a mass scale.   ## Advanced digital signature requirements There is much confusion between electronic signatures and PKI digital signatures. You can learn more about it [here.](https://www.signinghub.com/electronic-signatures/) As a quick note, basic e-signing adds the user's mark on a document and does nothing to protect the integrity of the signed document or to prove that the user actually made that mark. With PKI digital signatures, cryptographic codes are created using privately-held signing keys under the control of the signer. They ensure data integrity and strong authentication of the user - cryptographically-binding the user's authenticated digital identity to their signed documents.  There are many cloud e-sign providers who simply implement basic electronic signature squiggles on a document with no cryptographic evidence embedded into the signed document to independently prove it was indeed the user who made that mark. Most high-trust schemes however, require PKI-based digital signatures where each user has their own private signing key.  For example: [**EU Qualified Signatures**](https://blog.signinghub.com/eidas-changing-landscape-for-e-signature-regulations) - These are recognised as equivalent to handwritten ink signatures in a court of law and require use of unique user keys held in secure cryptographic hardware.  **[Adobe AATL Signatures](https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/approved-trust-list2.html)** - This is a trust scheme run by Adobe for its Reader/Acrobat product range.  Similarly, it requires unique user keys and protection of these in secure cryptographic hardware.  Adobe software automatically marks signatures as "trusted" if the signing key was certified by an AATL-recognised Certificate Authority (CA). Traditionally, the protection of the user's private signing key was achieved by storing it within tamper-resistant cryptographic hardware devices, like smartcards and secure USB tokens.  These are PIN-protected and kept under the control of their users.   ## Problems with smartcards / tokens and the rise of server-held keys Although there are many examples of e-Trust schemes relying on smartcards/tokens, in particular electronic ID (eID) cards issued by many governments, the general purpose use of these devices has been limited.  This is mainly due to: - **Complex to use** - In the case of smartcards, the user needs specialist reader devices, which are not generally available.  Using such devices on mobile phones is even harder. - **Forgotten tokens** - Often users forget to bring their tokens when needed or lose/misplace them.  Also, use of such tokens in public areas is sometimes blocked or there are no readers available.  - **Expensive to deploy** - The cost of providing the secure devices (and readers) to each end-user is often too high for most business applications where a large number of users are involved. - **Browser compatibility issues** - Using smartcards/USB tokens requires web applications to deploy Java applets. The latest browser versions (e.g. Google Chrome) are blocking such technology because of various security issues.  Even where the browser allows Java, the frequent pop-up warning messages make non-technical users nervous. To overcome this, the industry is moving to server-held signing keys i.e. each user's signing key is managed in a centrally-held HSM. As an example, the new [EU eIDAS Regulations](http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014R0910&from=EN) allow EU Qualified Signatures to be created using server-held signing keys - as long as they're managed securely.  Similarly, Adobe AATL Signatures can be created using server-held keys.  However, before Cloud HSMs deploying a server-side signing solution was complex.  Basically, you needed to purchase an HSM appliance and install, configure, patch and maintain these security devices.  So, although the complexity of smartcards/USB signing devices was hidden from the end-users perspective by using HSMs, IT departments still had the complexity of managing them. Today, Azure and Amazon cloud platforms offer cloud HSMs as part of their service.  This means you can now deploy an advanced digital signature solution using unique user signing keys with strong hardware-based protection, at a fraction of the cost and complexity compared to an on-premise HSM solution. At the same time, you can also meet the needs of high-trust schemes like Adobe AATL and EU regulations.  ## Cloud signing with SigningHub  SigningHub has extensive support for secure, cloud-based digital signatures which includes: - Support [Azure Key Vault HSMs](http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/key-vault/) - For generating and managing unique user keys and creating advanced, EU Qualified and Adobe AATL signatures.  SigningHub is the first global signing platform to integrate with the Azure Key Vault, see the Microsoft blog [here](http://blogs.technet.com/b/kv/archive/2015/06/24/keyvaulthasshipped.aspx) for more details. - Support for [Amazon Web Services (AWS) HSMs](http://aws.amazon.com/cloudhsm/) - Same as above but using the Amazon Cloud HSMs. - Ability to interwork with a number of existing PKI service provider partners for AATL, EU Qualified and other high-trust certificates including: - [LawTrust ](https://www.lawtrust.co.za/) - [DigitalSign](https://www.digitalsigncertificadora.com.br/pt) - [GlobalSign ](https://www.globalsign.com/en/) - [Entrust Datacard](http://www.entrust.com/)  - [Commfides ](https://www.commfides.com/) - Ability to host your own private PKI infrastructure components, such as private Certificate Authorities (CAs), OCSP Validation Authorities and Time Stamp Authority (TSA) servers using Ascertia ADSS Server. [Read More](https://blog.signinghub.com/cloud-signing-advanced-pki-digital-signatures-made-easy) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.signinghub.com/cloud-signing-advanced-pki-digital-signatures-made-easy#comments-listing) ## [Group and departmental level signing with SigningHub](https://blog.signinghub.com/2013/07/real-world-use-case-groupdepartmental-level-signing) Posted by [Liaquat Khan](https://blog.signinghub.com/author/liaquat-khan) on 26-Jul-2013 14:42:00 [![](https://blog.signinghub.com/hs-fs/file-2839517649-png/blog-files/add-group-4.png)](https://blog.signinghub.com/2013/07/real-world-use-case-groupdepartmental-level-signing) In the real-world, it often doesn't matter who signs a document but rather do they have the sufficient group and departmental level authority to do this. That is the "identity" of the signer is not as important as the "authorisation". E.g. a Purchase Order typically requires an authorised member from the Procurement department to sign-off on it.  [Read More](https://blog.signinghub.com/2013/07/real-world-use-case-groupdepartmental-level-signing) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.signinghub.com/2013/07/real-world-use-case-groupdepartmental-level-signing#comments-listing) - - - - [Visit SigningHub.com](https://www.signinghub.com/) Search this site Search ### Recent Posts [View all posts](https://info.signinghub.com/view-all-blogs) ### Popular Reads ### Download this essential eBook [![Download your eBook](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/511375/e69a79e6-2150-4257-807f-b258301481db.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/511375/e69a79e6-2150-4257-807f-b258301481db) Choosing the right type of e-signature for your business ### Subscribe to Blog - Let’s Get Started - [Quick Tour](https://www.signinghub.com/how-it-works/) - [How to Videos](https://www.signinghub.com/how-to-videos/) - [Start Free Trial](https://web.signinghub.com/Register?planId=30) - [Pricing](https://www.signinghub.com/pricing-plan-selection/) - [Features Comparison](https://www.signinghub.com/features-comparison/) - [Contact Us](https://www.signinghub.com/contact-us/) - Products - [E-Signatures](https://www.signinghub.com/e-signatures/) - [E-Seals](https://www.signinghub.com/e-seals/) - [Mobile Apps](https://www.signinghub.com/pricing-plan-selection/) - [Connectors](https://www.signinghub.com/connector-apps/) - [PKI](https://www.signinghub.com/pki/) - [System Requirements](https://www.signinghub.com/check-compatibility/) - Hot Topics - [eIDAS Compliance](https://www.signinghub.com/eidas-regulation/) - [Remote Signing](https://www.signinghub.com/eidas-remote-signing/) - [Local Signing](https://www.signinghub.com/local-signing/) - [Bulk Signing](https://www.signinghub.com/bulk-signing/) - [XML Signing](https://www.signinghub.com/xml-signing/) - [Long-Term Validation](https://www.signinghub.com/long-term-validation/) - Learn More - [What are Electronic Signatures?](https://www.signinghub.com/electronic-signatures/) - [What are Digital Signatures?](https://www.signinghub.com/digital-signatures/) - [Security](https://www.signinghub.com/security/) - [Legality](https://www.signinghub.com/legality/) - [Interoperability](https://www.signinghub.com/interoperability/) - [API](https://www.signinghub.com/webservice-api-features/) [![Ascertia Logo](https://blog.signinghub.com/hubfs/asc-ic-logo-black.svg)](https://www.ascertia.com/) SigningHub is a product and cloud service provided by Ascertia – to find out more go to [About Us](https://blog.signinghub.com/about-signinghub/) or [Ascertia.com](https://www.ascertia.com/) [Terms of Service](https://blog.signinghub.com/terms-of-service/)    |     [Privacy Policy](https://blog.signinghub.com/privacy-policy) - - © Ascertia. 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