Digital signature certificates can be divided into three different classes as

follows:

Class 1 signatures are used in environments where there is a low risk

of data compromise, which provides a basic level of security. It cannot

be used for legal business documents as their validation is based only

on an e-mail ID and username.

Class 2 signatures are used in environments where there are moderate

risks and consequences of data compromise. A signee’s identity is

authenticated against a pre-verified database and is used for the e-

filing of tax documents, including IT and GST returns.

Class 3 signatures are used in environments where threats to data and

the consequences of a security failure are high. Examples include e-

auctions, e-tendering, e-ticketing, and court filings. It is termed as the

highest level of digital signatures, which requires a person or an

organization to be present before a certifying authority to prove their

identity before signing.

Uses of digital signature

Digital signatures are used by the industry to streamline their processes and

improve document integrity. Processing tax returns, verifying business to

government transactions, ratifying laws, and managing contracts are the

uses governments put digital signatures. Improving the efficiency of

administrative processes and treatment and strengthening data security are

the uses digital signature is put to in the healthcare industry. The uses the

manufacturing sector puts digital signature to are speeding up the processes,

including product design, quality assurance, manufacturing enhancements,

marketing, and sales. The Financial Services industry uses the digital

signature for making and executing contracts, paperless banking, loan

processing, insurance documentation, mortgages, and more.

Hash functions

The most extensively used cryptographic algorithms in blockchain

technology are hash functions which are cryptographic algorithms designed

to protect data integrity. In most of the information, security applications

and hash functions are extremely useful. A numerical input value can be