Signierung

Signierung is the act of applying a signature to a document to indicate authorship, approval, or consent. In everyday German it refers to a handwritten autograph, but in digital contexts the term also covers electronic and cryptographic signatures that bind a piece of data to a signer.

Types and mechanisms

Handwritten signatures rely on pen-and-paper marks, possibly with witness or notarization. Electronic signatures range from simple scanned marks to cryptographic signatures created with a private key. A digital signature uses cryptographic methods and a signer’s private key to sign the data, while a corresponding public key and certificate allow anyone to verify the signature. A qualified electronic signature (QES) under the EU eIDAS framework has a higher trust level and is legally treated as equivalent to a handwritten signature. The evidentiary weight of electronic signatures can vary by type and context.

Technical standards and processes

Digital signatures rely on public key infrastructure (PKI), certificates (often X.509), hash functions, and signing algorithms. Verification involves checking the signature against the signer's public key and the integrity of the signed data. Key management, certificate validity, and revocation status are essential for trust. Qualified electronic signatures require a trusted service provider and a secure signing environment.

Legal context and applications

European and German law recognize electronic signatures, with QES enjoying the same legal effect as a handwritten signature in many circumstances due to eIDAS. Signierung is common in contracts, official filings, financial transactions, and administrative processes. Security risks include key compromise, fraud, and disputes over authenticity, mitigated by secure key storage, hardware tokens, and clear audit trails.