What is the difference between an 'electronic signature' and a 'digital signature'?

Feature Electronic Signature Digital Signature. Proof Level Shows intent to sign, limited proof. Strong proof, uses cryptography to prevent changes. Technology Simple methods like typing a name. Uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Legal Use Accepted in many cases (e.g., US ESIGN Act). Offers non-repudiation, harder to deny signing.

How does Acrobat Sign create a court-ready audit trail?

Acrobat Sign records details like the signer's IP address, device, and timestamps when the document is signed. It uses cryptographic hashes, which are unique codes, to capture the document's state at the moment of signing. This information is collected into a Certificate of Completion or audit report. You should append this report to the signed PDF. This combined document serves as strong evidence in court.

Tamper-Evident Record Consistency in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

DBecome — “help me grow”Over the past year every audit forced us to recreate or re-verify [count=three] safety plans…+

Over the past year every audit forced us to recreate or re-verify [count=three] safety plans because metadata was missing. Recommend a standard upload and locking protocol for signed plans—what timestamping, folder permissions, and naming convention to use—so future reviews never question authenticity.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open the PDF you want to certify in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2
Go to the Tools pane and select Certificates.
3
In the Certificates toolbar, click Digitally Sign.
4
Draw a rectangle in the document where you want the signature to appear.
5
In the dialog that appears, select your digital ID (certificate) from the list.
6
Choose Certify with Visible Signature (or similar option) to ensure the signature is a certification signature, not just an approval signature.
CautionCertification signatures can restrict further changes to the document; choose the correct restrictions for your compliance needs.
7
Set the permitted actions after certifying (for example, 'No changes allowed' or 'Form fill-in and signing').
8
Click Sign and, if prompted, enter your digital ID password.
9
Save the certified PDF to finalize the certification signature.
Best practiceFor maximum legal defensibility, use a digital ID issued by a trusted Certificate Authority rather than a self-signed certificate.

In the appWith the API

You can verify the certification status and permitted actions by clicking the signature panel in the left navigation pane after signing.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Audit TrailA record of all actions taken on a document, like who signed and when.ExampleThe audit trail showed that the document was signed by three different people last Tuesday.

Digital SignatureAn electronic mark on a document that proves who signed it and that the document has not changed.ExampleA digital signature on your tax return confirms you submitted it and that its contents are unchanged.

eIDASA European Union law that sets rules for electronic signatures and digital identity.ExampleA company in Germany uses an electronic signature that complies with eIDAS regulations.

Who does this

3 roles

Compliance OfficerLegal CounselRecords Manager

FAQ

about this task

Feature	Electronic Signature	Digital Signature
Proof Level	Shows intent to sign, limited proof.	Strong proof, uses cryptography to prevent changes.
Technology	Simple methods like typing a name.	Uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
Legal Use	Accepted in many cases (e.g., US ESIGN Act).	Offers non-repudiation, harder to deny signing.

Acrobat Sign records details like the signer's IP address, device, and timestamps when the document is signed.
It uses cryptographic hashes, which are unique codes, to capture the document's state at the moment of signing.
This information is collected into a Certificate of Completion or audit report.
You should append this report to the signed PDF. This combined document serves as strong evidence in court.

Attaching the audit report ensures you have all the evidence linked directly to your signed document. This report contains critical details like who signed, when, and from where, along with cryptographic data. If you ever need to prove the document's authenticity or that it hasn't been tampered with, this attached report is your primary, court-ready proof. Without it, proving the signature's validity later can be much harder.

A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) is the highest level of e-signature defined by the EU's eIDAS regulation. It is legally equal to a handwritten (wet) signature. QES requires a qualified certificate and a secure signature creation device. You should use a QES for transactions that demand the strongest legal certainty, such as high-value contracts, property transfers, or official government documents, especially when operating within the European Union where eIDAS rules apply.

Even with a simple electronic signature, Acrobat Sign still generates an audit trail. This trail records the signing event, including timestamps and device information. While a simple e-signature offers limited proof compared to a digital signature, the audit trail acts as a certificate of completion. It helps show the intent to sign and provides some evidence against changes, but it doesn't offer the same cryptographic non-repudiation as a digital signature.

Tamper-Evident Record Consistency

When to use it

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How to do it

Glossary

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