PKI Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples - Version 2.10, by Dr. Herong Yang
Digital ID Needed to Sign Word Documents
This section describes the requirement of adding a digital signature in MS Word: you need to purchase a digital ID (a personal certificate) from a 3rd party vendor.
Now let's use John Smith as an example to experiment MS Word's digital signature function. Since John is new to digital signature technology, he has no personal certificate (MS Word calls it as personal digital ID) installed on his Windows computer.
When John finishes writing a document, he wants to add a digital signature to the document. In MS Word 2007, John can create a digital ID by Word itself.
But in newer version of Word, when John clicks "File > Info > Protect Document > Add a Digital Signature", he gets the "Get a Digital ID" message box:
To sign a Microsoft Office document you need a digital ID, would you like to get one from a Microsoft Partnet now?
If John clicks "Yes", he is redirected to the Find digital ID or digital signature services Web page at support.office.com/en-us/article/find-digital-id-or-digital-signature-services -b06cfc76-56a1-4a74-b2dd-91a55de79cdf. The Web page asks John to purchase a digital ID (a personal certificate and its private key) from 3rd party vendors: Comodo, GlobalSign, or IdenTrust.
John checks out prices on those 3rd party Websites:
Vendor Price Comodo Free - For personal use Comodo $27.16/year - For business use GlobalSign $369.00/year IdenTrust No price published DigiCert $379.00/year
Last update: 2018.
Table of Contents
Introduction of PKI (Public Key Infrastructure)
Introduction of HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)
Using HTTPS with Google Chrome
Using HTTPS with Mozilla Firefox
HTTPS with IE (Internet Explorer)
Perl Scripts Communicating with HTTPS Servers
PHP Scripts Communicating with HTTPS Servers
Java Programs Communicating with HTTPS Servers
Windows Certificate Stores and Console
.NET Programs Communicating with HTTPS Servers
CAcert.org - Root CA Offering Free Certificates
PKI CA Administration - Issuing Certificates
Comodo Free Personal Certificate
►Digital Signature - Microsoft Word
Protecting Word Document with Digital Signatures
►Digital ID Needed to Sign Word Documents
Adding Digital Signature in Word Documents
View Digital Signatures in Word Documents
Add Visible Digital Signatures in Word Documents
Obtaining a Trial Digital ID from DocuSign
Digital Signature - OpenOffice.org 3