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Electronic, digital and advanced electronic signatures

Electronic signature is a legal umbrella term; digital signature describes the cryptographic technology. The historical Slovak term ZEP should not be confused automatically with today’s eIDAS levels.

Electronic and digital signatures

An electronic signature is electronic data attached or logically associated with other data and used to sign. A digital signature uses a private key and a document digest to protect integrity and bind the result to a key.

Advanced electronic signature

Under eIDAS it must be uniquely linked to the signer, identify the signer, be created under the signer’s control and reveal later changes to the signed data.

The historical term ZEP

Zaručený elektronický podpis (ZEP) is a legacy Slovak legal term. Current documents should distinguish an advanced electronic signature from a qualified electronic signature (QES/KEP).