E-Signature Glossary
Learn the key terms and concepts behind electronic signatures, digital security, and document management.
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard)
A symmetric encryption algorithm widely used to secure data. SignQuick uses AES-256 to encrypt your documents at rest, providing military-grade protection for your files.
Audit Trail
A chronological record of all actions taken on a document — who viewed it, who signed it, timestamps, IP addresses, and integrity hashes. Provides legal evidence of the signing process.
Certificate (Digital)
A digital document that verifies the identity of the signer. Digital certificates are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) and bind a public key to an identity.
Digital Signature
A cryptographic mechanism that provides authentication, integrity, and non-repudiation for electronic documents. Uses public-key cryptography (PKI) to verify that a document hasn't been altered after signing.
Electronic Signature (E-Signature)
Any electronic process that indicates acceptance of an agreement or document. Broader than digital signatures — includes typed names, drawn signatures, click-to-sign, and biometric signatures.
eIDAS
The EU regulation on electronic identification and trust services (Electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services). Establishes a legal framework for electronic signatures across EU member states. Defines three levels: SES, AES, and QES.
End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)
An encryption method where data is encrypted on the sender's device and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. Even the service provider cannot access the content. SignQuick uses E2EE for all cloud-stored documents.
ESIGN Act
The U.S. Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (2000). Grants legal validity to electronic signatures and records in interstate and foreign commerce.
GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation — EU law governing data privacy and protection. Requires organizations to protect personal data, provide transparency, and respect user rights (access, deletion, portability).
Hash (Cryptographic)
A fixed-length string generated from document content using a mathematical algorithm (e.g., SHA-256). Any change to the document produces a completely different hash, enabling tamper detection.
Multi-Party Signing
The process of collecting signatures from multiple people on a single document. Signers can sign in parallel or in a defined sequential order.
NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)
A legal contract that establishes confidentiality between parties. One of the most commonly electronically signed documents. SignQuick provides NDA templates for quick signing.
PDF (Portable Document Format)
A file format developed by Adobe that preserves document formatting across platforms. The standard format for electronic signatures because it maintains visual fidelity and supports embedded signatures.
PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)
A framework of policies, hardware, and software used to create, manage, and distribute digital certificates. The foundation of digital signature technology.
QES (Qualified Electronic Signature)
The highest level of electronic signature under eIDAS. Created using a qualified signature creation device and based on a qualified certificate. Has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature in all EU member states.
SES (Simple Electronic Signature)
The most basic form of electronic signature under eIDAS. Includes any data in electronic form attached to or logically associated with other electronic data. Valid for most business contracts.
Signing Request
An invitation sent to one or more people to sign a document. Contains a unique link that takes the signer directly to the document, where they can review and add their signature.
SSO (Single Sign-On)
An authentication method that allows users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials. Enterprise-grade SSO integrations (SAML, OAuth) simplify access management.
Timestamp (Trusted)
A cryptographic proof of the exact time a document was signed, issued by a trusted time-stamping authority. Provides evidence that a signature existed at a specific point in time.
UETA (Uniform Electronic Transactions Act)
A U.S. state law that provides a legal framework for electronic transactions. Adopted by 47 states, it validates electronic signatures and records in business transactions.
Webhook
An automated HTTP callback triggered by an event (e.g., document signed, request completed). Webhooks allow your applications to receive real-time notifications from SignQuick's API.
X.509 Certificate
An international standard format for public key certificates. Used in SSL/TLS, email encryption, and digital signatures to verify the identity of entities in electronic communications.
Zero-Knowledge Architecture
A system design where the service provider has no ability to access user data. In SignQuick, your encryption keys are derived from your password and never transmitted to our servers — we literally cannot read your documents.
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