Adobe 22001438 - Acrobat - PC Using Manual page 196

Adobe Acrobat Help
Using Help | Contents
Signing a document. Before you can digitally sign a document for the first time, you
must choose a signature handler (if you have more than one installed). If you haven't
installed any additional signature handlers, Acrobat Self-Sign Security will be used as the
default signature handler. If Acrobat Self-Sign Security is your signature handler, you must
also create a password-protected profile within the signature handler before you can sign.
Verifying someone else's signature. When you receive a document signed by a third
party, you should verify the signature to ensure that the document was indeed signed by
that person and has not been altered since it was signed.To verify the signature of a third
party, you need to import their user certificate.They can e-mail you their user certificate,
or they can store it in a shared folder from which you can copy it. Similarly, if you send a
signed document to a third party, you should e-mail them a copy of your certificate so that
they can verify your signature. Alternatively, you can put a copy of your certificate in a
shared folder.
Checking a document for changes made since it was signed. Once a document is
signed, any changes made since the signing are recorded in the Signatures palette.You
can track changes made between signings using the Signatures palette or by comparing
signed versions of the document.
Comparing versions of signed documents. You can easily see changes made between
two signed versions of a document using the Compare Two Versions Within a Signed
Document command. Acrobat will display the pages of the document side-by-side and
highlight the differences between the two documents.
Selecting a signature handler
The digital signatures feature in Acrobat uses a signature handler plug-in.You add, verify,
and manage your signatures using commands and tools in the Acrobat interface, but the
signature handler plug-in determines the nature of the signatures—their appearance on
the page, the exact information stored in them, and the attributes and method used for
their verification.The flexibility of this structure allows you to use whichever signing
method your company or regulations require, with Acrobat providing a consistent and
convenient front end.
Acrobat comes with the default signature handler Acrobat Self-Sign Security for basic
signing purposes. Self-Sign Security is included in the default Acrobat installation.Third-
party signature handlers are available on the Acrobat CD for custom installation
(Windows). For information on compatible handlers from third-party vendors, see the
Security folder on the Acrobat CD and the Adobe Web site (www.adobe.com).
Setting a default signature handler
You set your default signature handler in the Digital Signatures Preferences dialog box.
To set your default signature handler:
1 Choose Edit > Preferences > General. Click Digital Signatures in the left pane of the
Preferences dialog box.
2 Choose a default signature handler.The pop-up menu lists all handlers installed in your
Acrobat Plug-ins folder (the default is Acrobat Self-Sign Security).
3 Select Verify Signatures When Document Is Opened to determine if signatures will be
verified automatically when a document is opened.
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Digitally Signing PDF Files
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