An advanced electronic signature (AES or AdES) is an electronic signature that meets the requirements set forth under EU Regulation No 910/2014 (eIDAS-regulation) on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the European Single Market. It is a secure signature that meets strict identity and integrity criteria.
How It Works
- Identity verification: The signer must be uniquely linked to the signature, typically through data under their sole control, such as a one-time passcode sent to a verified phone number.
- Tamper-evident: Any changes made to the document after signing will invalidate the signature, ensuring the document’s integrity.
- Legal weight: AES provides high evidentiary value in court because the system mathematically proves the document hasn’t been altered and links directly to the signer.
Use Cases
- Standard commercial contracts: Suitable for routine business agreements.
- NDAs: Ideal for non-disclosure agreements.
- Sales agreements: Commonly used for high-volume business transactions.
- Other high-volume business transactions: Any scenario requiring a secure, legally robust signature.
Additional Acronyms for AES
- AES - Advanced Encryption Standard