Why use encryption and digital signatures

Encrypting and digitally signing documents by using certificates provide the following assurances about document transmissions:

• Only the addressee can read the message and not any unauthorized people. Encryption provides this assurance.
• The message cannot be tampered with. That is, data cannot be changed, added or deleted without you knowing it. A document’s digital signature provides this assurance.
• Partners who send you documents are genuinely who they claim to be. Likewise, when partners receive documents signed by you, they can be confident the documents came from you. A document’s digital signature provides this assurance.
• The partners who send you documents cannot claim they did not send them. This is referred to as non-repudiation of origin. A document’s digital signature provides this assurance.
• Partners to whom you send documents cannot claim they did not receive them. This is referred to as non-repudiation of receipt. A signed document acknowledgment provides this assurance.