ABSTRACT
In practice parties involved in electronic commerce in open networks such as the internet are faced with the problem of the identity of the communicating parties, i.e. knowing that the sender of an electronic message is actually the person they claim to be. In addition, communicating parties also need to ensure that the electronic message received is the one that was actually sent, i.e. the integrity of the message.1 A signature is a familiar way for individuals to make apparent on paper that they are who they say they are and that, often, they agree to be bound by whatever they are signing. A signature, therefore, generally provides authentication of the signatory. It is also an indication of ‘acceptance’ or ‘consent’ to a legally binding commitment.2
