digital signature

n. a code, generally created using a public key infrastructure (PKI) associated with a digital object that can verify the object has not been altered and, in some contexts, may be used to authenticate the identity of the sender

Notes

A digital signature is typically a message digest that is derived from the digital object being signed and encoded with a public key. The recipient can use the message digest to ensure that the object has not been altered and can use the matching private key to ensure the identity of the sender. See American Bar Association, Information Security Committee, Digital Signature Guidelines at http://www.abanet.org/scitech/ec/isc/digital_signature.html.