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How to protect my documents knowing my handwritten signature can be easily copied?

Digital signatures: safer than handwritten signatures

The scanned image of your handwritten signature (a.k.a. your signature appearance) is not a protected or secured image. Google even allows anyone to search text on images contained on PDF documents posted online (such as the text on your professional seal).

The integrity and authenticity of the documents you digitally sign is protected by your digital signature, and not by the scan of you handwritten signature or your professional seal.

Digitally signing a document asserts that you are the signatory, protects the integrity and confirms the authenticity of the document. The signature thumbprint added to the document is unique; it is based on the document’s content and on your digital signature. Copying the thumbprint to another document would create an invalid signature.

The real value lies with the signature verification

When signing digitally, you reliably protect the authenticity of your document. When asking to others verify the signatures, you protect not only yourself and the document, but also every stakeholder.

To remind the importance of signature verification, we recommended you add the statement “Digitally signed original. Refer to it for authenticity“ next to your signature appearance. If your employer or your professional association allows it, do not include a scan of your handwritten signature in order to entice the verification of the digital signature on the original document.

ConsignO Desktop enables you to easily add this statement in Edit / Preferences / Signature appearance / Modify / Add custom text.