Fundamentals of InfoSecintermediate
Explain how a digital signature can support authenticity and integrity, and state two things it does not establish by itself.
Answer
The signer uses a private key with a hash to create a signature, and a recipient uses the corresponding public key to verify it. Successful verification supports evidence that the data is associated with the signer and has not changed. A signature does not conceal the data and does not by itself prove that the message is fresh rather than replayed.
Explanation
### The concept
A signature is created using the signer's private key and is checked with the matching public key. The process uses a hash of the data so that changes to the content affect verification. This supports integrity and, when the public key is reliably associated with the signer, authenticity. A signature is not encryption, so readers may still see the contents. Nor does a valid signature alone show that the message was sent recently; a previously signed message could be replayed.
### What a good answer covers
- The signer uses a private key and hash.
- The recipient verifies with the corresponding public key.
- Verification supports authenticity and integrity.
- A signature does not provide confidentiality or freshness by itself.
### Remember
A valid signature supports origin and integrity, not secrecy or freshness.
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