ABSTRACT
Encryption can also be used to determine identity. The term 'electronic signature' is technology-neutral, including any variety of electronic signatures. An advantage of electronic technology is that levels of security can be varied, depending on sensitivity. In the electronic world, the digital signature technology can perform both functions, far more securely, if desired, than is possible in the physical world, but only through the use of encryption. Encryption can also be used to determine identity. Some websites are password protected, and sometimes it is very important to keep out intruders. Digital signatures, and other forms of encryption used in e-commerce, are a development of ciphers that have been around for millennia. Public/private key encryption can also be used for digital signatures since, conversely, a message encrypted using Alice's private key can only be decrypted using her public key.
