Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Definition
A cryptographic certificate issued by a Controller of Certifying Authorities (CCA)-licensed CA in India (or equivalent trust-service provider under eIDAS in the UK/EU), binding a public key to a verified identity; used to sign electronic documents, producing a signature verifiable against the PKI chain.
- Issuer (India)
- Licensed Certifying Authority under the Controller of Certifying Authorities
- EU/UK equivalent
- Qualified certificate under eIDAS
- Binds
- Public key to a verified identity
- Certificate types
- Sign-only, encrypt-only, and combined sign-and-encrypt certificates
- Common use
- Signing e-filings, tenders, and financial instruments
Common questions
How does a forensic examiner verify a DSC-based signature?+
The examiner checks the signature against the signer's public key, confirms the certificate chain traces to a trusted root CA, and checks the certificate was valid and not revoked at the time of signing. Any break in the chain or a revoked certificate undermines the signature's evidentiary value.
Can a DSC be forged or misused?+
The private key can be stolen, shared, or used without the holder's knowledge if it is stored insecurely on a token or in software. Investigators look at token custody, PIN handling, and access logs to establish whether the actual key-holder produced the signature.
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