There's a bulk request to sign off 24 routine calibration certificates for networked sensors. I can't personally verif…
Open the signed PDF document in Adobe Acrobat.
Open the Signatures panel from the left navigation pane.
Right-click the signature you want to validate and select Validate Signature.
In the Signature Validation Status dialog, click Signature Properties.
Click Show Signer's Certificate to review the certificate details.
Close the certificate viewer, then open the Edit menu and select Preferences.
In the Preferences dialog, select Signatures from the left pane, then click More... under Identities & Trusted Certificates.
In the Digital IDs and Trusted Certificates dialog, go to the Trusted Certificates tab.
Click Import and select your custom or organization-trusted root CA certificate file (e.g., .cer, .crt, .pem), then complete the import wizard.
CautionOnly import certificates from trusted organizational sources to avoid security risks.
After importing, select the new certificate, click Trust, and check the box for Use this certificate as a trusted root.
Click OK to apply trust settings and close all dialogs.
Return to the signed document, right-click the signature again, and select Validate Signature to re-validate using the updated trust list.
Best practiceIf you manage multiple trusted roots, organize them into a dedicated trust list for your team to streamline validation across devices.
You can manage trusted certificate authorities in Acrobat’s preferences to ensure signatures are validated against your organization’s approved list.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
Checking trust is very important because a signature can be 'valid' but still not from a trusted source. If you don't trust the signer's certificate, you cannot be sure the document is truly from who it says it is. This helps prevent fraud and ensures the document's origin is reliable for critical items like calibration certificates.
| Feature | Valid Digital Signature | Trusted Digital Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The signature format is correct and has not been changed since signing. | The signature is valid AND you believe the signer's identity and certificate are real and safe. |
| Check | Acrobat checks the technical details. | You check the signer's identity and add their certificate to your trusted list. |
Adding Long Term Validation (LTV) information to a digital signature means that all the necessary details for verification, like timestamps and revocation status, are saved within the document itself. This is helpful because it allows the signature to be validated even if the original signing certificate expires or its issuing authority is no longer available. This ensures that a calibration certificate, for example, remains verifiable for many years without needing external sources, which is crucial for long-term record keeping and compliance.