Checking electronic signatures

With the help of these instructions, you can easily check the authenticity and validity of our electronically signed documents yourself.

Prerequisite

Our electronic certificates and reports are available in PDF/A-3 format. This format makes it possible to embed additional files directly in the PDF. To view these attachments and fully validate electronic signatures, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

• Install Adobe Acrobat Reader

  If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, download and install the software free of charge from the Adobe website.

• Open PDF with Adobe Acrobat Reader

  Open the e-certificate or e-report with Adobe Acrobat Reader:

  • Right-click on the PDF.
  • Select “Open with” and then “Adobe Acrobat Reader”.

  Alternatively:

  • Start Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Select “File” and then “Open” and open the desired PDF.

• Show embedded attachments

  The files belonging to the certificate are embedded as attachments in the PDF.

  • Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Click the paperclip icon (Attachments), which is located in the left sidebar or in the tools area, depending on the version.
  • The list of embedded attachments is displayed.

• Open or save attachments

  Select the desired attachment from the list.

  Open attachment

  • Double-click the attachment.
  • The file is opened with the corresponding program.

  Save attachment

  • Right-click on the attachment.
  • Select “Save as” and then the desired storage location.

Step 1: Show signature

The information about an electronic signature can be displayed in different ways.

Option 1: Via the signature icon

Click the signature icon in the sidebar.

Option 2: Via the menu

Select the menu path View (Anzeige) > Show/Hide (Ein-/Ausblenden) > Navigation Panes (Navigationsfenster) > Signatures (Unterschriften).

Option 3: Directly in the document

Click the signature in the document.

Step 2: Check signature

Select the signature to display the signature or certificate details (Zertifikatsdetails).

Among other things, you will see:

• by whom and when the certificate was issued
• whether the signature is valid
• whether the document has been changed after signing
• whether the certificate used is trustworthy

Depending on the configuration of Adobe Acrobat Reader, the result of the validation is automatically displayed when the document is opened.

Meaning of the validation result

The validation of electronic signatures ensures that a document has remained unchanged since it was signed and that the signature can be assigned to a uniquely identified person or organisation. This increases the traceability, trustworthiness and legal certainty of digital documents.

For reports, verification, measurement, calibration and certification documents, the electronic signature thus offers an efficient and secure way to guarantee the authenticity of evidence provided digitally.