{"id":35943,"date":"2021-07-21T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-21T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/how-to-insert-digital-signature-in-pdf\/"},"modified":"2024-03-04T14:43:37","modified_gmt":"2024-03-04T13:43:37","slug":"how-to-insert-digital-signature-in-pdf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/how-to-insert-digital-signature-in-pdf\/","title":{"rendered":"How to insert digital signature in PDF?"},"content":{"rendered":" \n

Are you wondering how to insert digital signature<\/a> in PDF<\/strong>? Digital transformation is the real driver of change for companies to be more agile, more secure and to provide a better experience both externally (customers, suppliers, etc.) and internally (for their employees). To this end, the formalization of 100% online contracts<\/strong>, as well as the signing of documents<\/strong> in general, are some of the main elements to be taken into account.<\/p> \n \n

In this context, we explain some of the available alternatives to insert digital signature in PDF<\/strong>, as well as the advantages at individual and corporate level of dispensing with the traditional and handwritten alternative.<\/p> \n \n

Is it legal to insert digital signature in PDF?<\/h2> \n \n

Let us begin by understanding what the regulations allow us to do<\/strong>, which, by the way, are usually based on international standards replicated in each country. We start with the eIDAS Regulation<\/strong>, the most robust and modern regulatory framework that currently exists worldwide.<\/p> \n \n

Without going into too much detail, we assume that eIDAS supports different alternatives for digitally sign a document<\/a>. But although they are all legally binding<\/strong>, some of them may have security shortcomings<\/strong>, making them easy to forge. That is why we focus on the one that offers an acceptable level of security from the outset: the signature with digital certificate<\/strong>, a 100% secure option that allows the signer to be unequivocally identified.<\/p> \n \n

Insert digital signature in PDF with digital certificate from Viafirma’s software<\/h2> \n \n

All the software developed by Viafirma allows users to use their digital certificates<\/strong> to sign.<\/p> \n \n

If they do not have one, other legally valid mechanisms<\/strong> are of course provided. In any case, there is always the option of using a digital certificate.<\/strong><\/p> \n \n

At the end of the publication, we will go into more detail on this subject. <\/p> \n \n

Insert digital signature on PDF with digital certificate from Adobe Acrobat <\/h2> \n \n

Next we will explain how to insert digital signature in PDF<\/strong> using our digital certificate<\/strong> in Adobe<\/strong> without using any other software.<\/p> \n \n

It is important to note that the digital certificate must be installed locally<\/strong> on the computer or inserted in a device<\/strong> with a USB port that can be connected to the computer.<\/p> \n \n

If you have a “cloud certificate”<\/strong> you can use it locally in the same way as if it was installed locally in the computer thanks to Viafirma Fortress Desktop.<\/strong><\/p> \n \n

The steps to follow to sign with a digital certificate directly from Adobe are as follows: <\/p> \n\r\n

    \n
  • We open our document in Adobe, select the tools tab and click on certificates.<\/strong><\/li> \n<\/ul>\r\n \n
    \"Screenshot<\/figure> \n\r\n
      \n
    • It will automatically return us to the document, we click on “digitally sign”<\/strong> and draw a box to position our rubric with certificate.<\/li> \n\r\n\r\n \n
    • Finally, we select our certificate issued by a PSC and click on sign<\/strong>.<\/li> \n<\/ul>\r\n \n
      \"Capture<\/figure> \n \n

      4 advantages of digitally signing documents<\/h2> \n \n

      Here are some advantages of inserting digital signature in PDF:<\/strong><\/p> \n\r\n

        \n
      • Lower costs:<\/strong> Any travel and printing costs are avoided, contributing to a more sustainable environment.<\/li> \n\r\n\r\n \n
      • Elimination of paper:<\/strong> This directly implies a decrease in data storage (physical space) and cost reduction in file management procedures.<\/li> \n\r\n\r\n \n
      • Safer<\/strong>: Paper documents can be easily modified at any time. However, by signing electronically we ensure that the document cannot be modified la<\/li> \n\r\n\r\n \n
      • Saving time in digital processes:<\/strong> Paper contracts can ruin a work proposal or a sale by the mere fact that the potential customer needs more time to read, receive, consider and sign than a PDF.<\/li> \n<\/ul>\r\n \n

        Insert digital signature in PDF without digital certificate<\/h2> \n \n

        If you do not have an electronic certificate issued by a Trusted Provider, you can set up your own Digital ID in Adobe to sign simple documents.<\/strong> Here are the steps to follow!<\/p> \n\r\n

          \n
        1. In our Adobe document, we click on tools<\/strong> and click on certificates<\/strong>.<\/li> \n\r\n\r\n \n
        2. It will automatically return us to the document, click on digitally sign<\/strong> and draw a box to position our signature with certificate<\/li> \n\r\n\r\n \n
        3. Click on configure new digital ID and we will create one with our data.<\/li> \n<\/ol>\r\n \n
          \"\"\/<\/figure> \n \n

          BUT BEWARE!<\/strong> It is important to take into account that this mechanism will not guarantee the identity of the signer, since the only element that will allow this would be a digital certificate. The signature through certificates “created on the fly”<\/strong> but without the support of a Trusted Service Provider will not have the legal support offered by our advanced signature solutions.<\/p> \n \n

          Sending a PDF for online signature with full legal validity and without requiring a digital certificate from the signer? Yes, you can<\/h2> \n \n

          The reality is that nowadays few citizens have a digital certificate<\/strong>, since obtaining one is somewhat complex and many prefer to use other mechanisms even if it implies a greater effort when it comes to identifying themselves.<\/p> \n \n

          For this reason, Viafirma has developed special secure electronic signature platforms for face-to-face and remote environments without requiring an electronic certificate. These platforms fully comply with the advanced electronic signature requirements of the eIDAS Regulation<\/strong>; the most demanding trust services standard associated to digital identity in the world.<\/p> \n \n

          Our mechanisms allow you to capture evidence that the user signed. The biometric signature, based on OTP<\/strong> (either sent by SMS or email), image capture, verbal locutions, a video file or even facial biometric validation are interesting alternatives to send documents for signature to external users who do not have a certificate.<\/p> \n \n

          Whatever the type of signature offered to the user, any Viafirma software will leave the whole document validated with a digital certificate previously configured for it, so that the integrity of the document<\/strong> is always guaranteed.<\/p> \n \n

          In addition, the use of software like this allows us to maintain the traceability of the process<\/strong>, which is not possible if we simply sign a document with a digital certificate.<\/p> \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are you wondering how to insert a digital signature in PDF? We present you different alternatives with different degrees of security...","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28212,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"class_list":["post-35943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources-blog-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35943"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35943\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.viafirma.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}