E-Signature Integrity & Document Security

I’ve written a lot about e-signatures and the benefits of e-signature over more inefficient processes, but document security and electronic access to signed documents play an important role in the overall integrity of the electronic signature.

A comment on a recent article I wrote raised a very important point about the integrity of the originally signed document. He is absolutely correct that the authenticity of an electronically signed document must be able to be verified. One example to this point may be a document that must be signed by more than one person. Say a husband, wife, a lawyer, and a notary have to sign one particular document. By law, one person cannot electronically sign the document, print it out, then have the remaining signers sign by hand.

As such, it is important to use a reputable e-signature vendor that provides both long-term storage of the original document and a sequential e-signature feature that enables mutliple signers to electronically sign the document in a specific predetermined order.

A reputable e-signature vendor will enable sequential signing, carbon copies of signed documents for all signers, and store the original document in a secure environment in order for the carbon copies to be authenticated for years to come.

Signature Fraud Prevention

I stumbled on a website today that discusses how to handle documents that are suspected to be forged, and I wanted to bring it to the attention of readers here.

This website talks a lot about cases and scenarios in which signatures were forged and how people have had to go to court or hire a forgery forensics specialist to determine if the signature is indeed a fake. This site also has Forgery Prevention Tips for people to avoid having a document forged or their signature forged, and possibly their identity stolen.

Nowhere on the Forgery Prevention Tips page did this person recommend using electronic signatures to prevent signature fraud. I’m not that surprised since it is a signature forgery expert advertising for business.

Nothing against this signature forensics expert; I’m sure they are very good at what they do. But, if you are really concerned about signature fraud, then you should begin using electronic signature tools. E-signature have a higher level of protection because not just anyone can get access to the document; only the person you give electronic access to he document can sign it.

The E-signature tool offered by ConXPoint also requires authorization in the form of a PIN or password in order to sign after you have gained access to the document. This is yet another layer of security.

If two layers of security isn’t enough, an e-signature tool retains user information when the document was signed, such as date/timestamp, IP address, and length of time the document was reviewed before signing the document.

The ConXPoint system retains the original signed document in a secure environment for at least 7 years. Copies of the signed document can be compared to this electronic version to ensure nothing has changed or the document has been tampered with.

I can now see why this website doesn’t recommend the use of e-signatures in it’s Document Forgery Prevention Tips. If you want to avoid ever having to use the services of a document forensics specialist, you may want to check out the e-signature features in ConXPoint’s Business Center.