In addition, an electronic signature secures the user authentication at the time the signature is generated. It supplies additional information such as time stamp and signature purposes specific to that user and ensures the integrity of the signed document to enable transportability of data, interoperability, independent verifiability, and continuity of signature capability. Verifying a signature on a document confirms the integrity of the document and associated attributes. It also authenticates the identity of the signer. The proposed rule states that currently, the only technically mature electronic signature meeting the above criteria is the cryptographically based digital signature.
Authentication is needed to ensure that persons performing the transaction are who they claim to be.
Data integrity is necessary to ensure that information has not been altered since the data was signed. Nonrepudiation is mandatory to prevent a signer or sender of a document from denying the origination, submission, delivery, or integrity of its contents. It is important to note that HHS does not advocate or reference specific technology in its proposed standard for electronic signatures. A digital signature is an enciphered algorithm that utilizes an asymmetric key unique to the signer. The sender and receiver both have hashing algorithms that are exactly the same on each end of the transaction.