The firm has missed a set of hand-delivered exhibits twice this quarter and I’m the one who coordinates delivery. I do…
Open the signed PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
Open the Signatures panel from the navigation pane.
Right-click the signature you want to validate and select Validate Signature.
In the signature validation status dialog, review the signature details and validation status.
Click Show Certificate to review certificate details and ensure it matches the required legal or industry standard (e.g., eIDAS, FDA 21 CFR Part 11).
CautionYou must know your organization's required certificate authorities and validation criteria for compliance.
Review the signature properties panel for compliance details specific to regulatory standards.
NoteThis option appears only if the signature contains compliance information.
Check the validation summary for explicit compliance statements or error messages regarding legal or industry standards.
If the signature is not compliant, consult your organization's digital signature policy or contact your certificate provider for remediation.
Best practiceSome enterprise workflows require importing trusted root certificates into Acrobat's trusted identities list to validate signatures against specific regulations.
You can configure trusted identities in Acrobat to ensure signatures are validated against your organization's compliance requirements.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
When a digital signature is valid, it means Adobe Acrobat has confirmed two main things. First, it verifies the identity of the person who signed the document. Second, it checks that the document has not been changed or tampered with since it was signed. This gives you confidence in the document's authenticity.
Validating digital signatures on legal documents is crucial for legal proof. It confirms that the document was signed by the correct person and has not been altered since. This helps prevent fraud and ensures the document can be used as reliable evidence in court. Without validation, the signature's trustworthiness is uncertain, which could cause problems.
| Feature | Digital Signature | Electronic Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Highly secure, uses cryptography and certificates. | Less secure, can be a typed name or image. |
| Verification | Can be validated to prove identity and document integrity. | Often relies on audit trails, harder to verify document changes. |
| Purpose | Ensures authenticity, integrity, and non-repudiation. | Indicates intent to agree, simpler for general use. |