Rainbow PDF Digital Signature

Rainbow PDF Digital Signature is a high speed signing module designed to be integrated with enterprise workflow, document management, and archiving solutions to add and verify PKI Digital Signatures on demand or in a high volume batch operation. Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Features and Benefits Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Business Benefits Understanding Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Program A Look at the Rainbow PDF Digital Signature GUI Creating a Digital Certificate in the Windows Store Obtaining a Certificate Authority Digital Signature Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Specifications and Compatibility License Pricing Information

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Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Features and Benefits

Secures and Controls PDF’s with Digital Signatures that comply to ISO 32000-1 Standards

Adds both self signed signatures and Certificate Authority Signatures
Different applications require different levels of signature security. Our software lets the user to decide which level of security is necessary for each task. This makes adoption of comprehensive digital signature program affordable.

Applies Digital signatures timestamps and signature fields without the need for Adobe Acrobat
Even in environments where Adobe Acrobat is not installed or running, a digital signature with time stamp can be verified and applied, significantly reducing software licensing fees.

Signatures are interoperable with Adobe products
When documents are sent outside the network, recipients can open documents and validate signatures using Adobe Acrobat 7/8/9 and Adobe Readers 7/8/9.

A visible signature can be added to a PDF
In addition to the underlying digital signature, an (bmp, gif, jpg, or PDF) image of a handwritten signature, company logo, or certified seal can be applied to a PDF for easy identification

A GUI for creating and changing signatures settings makes creating signatures easy
Signature attributes, appearance details, and security permissions can be selected and saved with an intuitive graphics interface or can be accessed directly by an API.

Permissions for changes to the document can be set and saved in the signature file
Printing restrictions and limits to document changes (such as only signing in signature fields) can be saved with an associated MDP signature in the signature file.

Signatures may be stored in the Windows Certificate Store
The convenience of accessing signatures from the Windows Store simplifies high volume, batch signing applications.

Signatures files may be accessed through a web server application
Private keys may be stored in a PFX/PKCS#12 file. With this method users must input the private key password via the API for signing. (In addition to security, this establishes a user’s knowledge of signing).

Adapts to Smart cards and Aladdin tokens systems
Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Module can sign documents using a certificate stored on a smart card or eToken that is accessible to the server.

Signatures can be checked for revocation in two ways
Users may choose to verify signatures using either the certificate revocation list (CRL) or the online Certificate State Protocol responder (OCSP).

Interfaces with XSL Formatter
When used in conjunction with Antenna House XSL Formatter, the signature field will be specified within XSL-FO and the digital signature module will sign the PDF outputted by Formatter.

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Rainbow Digital Signature Business Benefits

Time stamped Signatures track and verify document Integrity
When a document requires numerous approvals in a process, a digital signature with timestamp assures the most recent version is being viewed and that the contents have not been changed.

Digital Signatures Reduce Distribution Expenditures and Improve Business Performance Securing documents with digital signatures allows companies to extend the labor and cost savings of electronic document transfer to sensitive materials (such as financial disclosures, medical records and contracts). Information can be delivered in a timely manner, accuracy improves, and the costs of printing, scanning and mailing significantly decrease.

Digital Signed Documents Comply with Government Regulations
A Digital Signature establishes an Audit trail for legal verification of a chain of events, acceptance and accountability. In addition, it establishes a security framework to use with outsourced partners for privacy handling and accountability

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Understanding the Rainbow PDF Digital Signature

Program

1. Rainbow PDF Digital Signature has two separate program parts:
   
   Part 1: The PDF Signature Module is a component to sign, encrypt or verify a PDF. These program functions are accessed via command line program, .NET API, Java API or C++ API. This portion of the program can be integrated with other applications such as content and document management systems.
   
   Part 2: The GUI setting program is used for creating and saving signatures. It is a tool to specify default parameters for Signatures. These parameters are saved in a setting XML file. Then, the PDF Signature module imports the setting file when it runs and uses these parameters as default values.
   
2. Rainbow PDF Digital Signature offers encryption functions, by using PKI (public key infrastructure, public certificates) or passwords.
   
3. Rainbow PDF Digital Signature is an independent tool from XSL Formatter, but it may be called from the Antenna House XSL Formatter software. When used in conjunction with Formatter, the signature field will be specified within XSL-FO and the digital signature module will sign the PDF that is outputted by Formatter.

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A look at the Rainbow PDF Digital Signature GUI

The GUI allows users to add change and Store properties with their digital signature.

Signature Tab

Choose your signature type:

• create a signature field and set a signature at the same time
• create just a signature field to be signed by the recipient
• add a signature to an already created field

Appearance/ Certificate Tab

Choose the appearance of your signature

Use a graphic image or add identification such as phone number and address to your signature.


Security Tab

Set Security to control document access in two ways:

• Apply certificate encryption by addressing the document to the receiver’s Public key. That document can then only be opened by the recipients matching private key. (Most secure)
  
  
• Apply password protection for opening and for permission to modify when the recipient does not have a digital private key.
  

Verifying Tab

Flexible options let you choose the way you want certificates verified before signing occurs and as they are received.

Save your signature settings

By clicking the "Save & Quit" button, the contents set by the GUI Signature Setting are saved in an XML configuration file.

Note: The signatures can also be accessed directly via API

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Adding a Digital Certificate to the Windows Store

Adding a self-created signature through the Windows Certificate Store

One way to add a digital signature to a PDF is to register a digital certificate with a private key in  the Windows Certificate Store. Certificates within the Windows Certificate Store can be accessed by both Windows programs (via the Crypt API of Windows) and Adobe Acrobat programs.

To access the Windows Certificate Store: [Run] [Internet Explorer] [Tools] [Internet Options] [Content Tab] [Certificates]

Personal Tab - Digital certificates with a private key and a public key are listed under the personal tab. These are the certificates you will use when applying a digital Signature (signing with a digital signature).

Other People Tab - Digital certificates with a public key only are listed under this tab. These are certificates used for sending encrypted PDF’s (sending PDF’s so that only a recipient with the corresponding private key can open it). In most basic terms public keys can be thought of as the mail address and private keys are used to sign PDF’s and open mail sent to the associated public key (mail address).

Storing Self Signed Certificates

Using Rainbow PDF Digital Signature with a windows certificate offers users the option to issue a self-signed certificate, similar to those used in Acrobat programs.

If public verification of signatures is not necessary, this option is a very low cost alternative to the fees associated with signatures vetted by Certificate Authorities. The windows certificate store mentioned above can be used to issue and manage Digital signature keys for these applications. Managing and securing these key is done within the organization.

Storing Certificate of Authority Issued Certificates

If public verification of signatures is necessary, Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Module can add digital signatures certificate issued by a Certificate Authority. This will enable a viewer to check that the signature on a document is a valid signature associated with that individual. Certificate Authority signatures can also be stored in the Windows Certificate Store.

Adobe PDF Reader property pane view of Certificate Authority issued digital signature:


Other Devices

Other devices such as USB Tokens, or IC cards (Smart Cards) may be used to store certificates for Rainbow PDF Digital Signature.

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Obtaining a Certificate Authority Digital Signature

There are various certificate authorities CA’s (IdenTrust, VeriSign, Global Sign, Chosen Security, etc.) where you may obtain a certificate that passes through with your signature. When a CA issues a certificate for you, the CA signs your certificate with the CA’s own certificate (or Private Key). This “double signature” means that the person associated with the signature presented some form of identification when it was issued. (Credentials can vary from in person verification, to email, combined with IP address, voice and phone verification). Signatures with CA backing offer a higher level of signature authenticity to a recipient.

For example if you receive an electronic bank notification requesting information relevant to your account, you would wish as a receiver to check that the document was signed and sent by your bank official. In this case a third party certificate validating the signature of the sender would be important to you the receiver.

The root CA is the trusted third party anchor for a certificate. The degree of trust associated with your certificate is judged in two ways.

First, if it is possible to trace an unbroken chain from your certificate to the trusted anchor (root authority) then the certificate and digital signature has been “vouched for” by a respected, trustworthy third party who is required to maintain strict standards.

Second, if the certificate associated with the signature is kept current and is it not listed on Certificate Revocation List (CRL), the signature holds a high level of legitimacy.

Rainbow PDF Digital Signature clears the cache of the CRL every six hours to enable it to display the most updated information from Certificate Authorities about revoked or expired (invalid) signatures.

Note: If Digital Signatures are on record with the Windows Certificate Store, it is important that a secure environment is established for the server that handles these certificates.

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Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Specifications and

Compatibility

Compatibility

Supports PDF 1.3 – 1.7

It's recommended to create PDF V1.6 version or later before applying a signature. The PDF signature dictionary conforms to ISO 32000 if PDF version is 1.5 or later is used with this product. The time stamp conforms to ISO 32000 with PDF version 1.6 or later.

Please note that although a PDF digital signature and a time stamp can also be applied to older versions of PDF, it will not conform to ISO 32000.

Note: PDF package form in Acrobat is not supported with this product.

Interoperability

Rainbow PDF Digital Signature applies a PDF digital signature and PDF security and does not depend on Adobe Acrobat. It guarantees the interoperability with Adobe Reader 7, 8 or 9, and Adobe Acrobat 7, 8 or 9 across PDF digital signature functions and the security functions.

For example, Rainbow PDF Digital Signature can sign signature fields created by Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Acrobat can sign the signature fields created by Rainbow. Also, PDF digital signatures created by this product can be verified using the signature verification function of Adobe Reader 7, 8 or 9 and Adobe Acrobat 7, 8 or 9.

RFC3161-SHA1 time stamp is interoperable with Acrobat 7, 8 or 9. RFC3161-SHA2 time stamp may only be interoperable with Acrobat 8 or 9.

Security settings by using password or public key certificate are interoperable with Acrobat 7, 8 or 9.

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License Pricing Information

Purchase
GSA Pricing


Your Rainbow PDF Digital Signature Software comes with a 90 day Warranty which includes the following benefits:

• One to One Technical Support by e-mail
• Bug Reports
• Service Reports
• Maintenance Releases
• Upgrades
• Q & A on the Web
• Mailing List

We strongly recommend keeping your software current by adding a one year a Maintenance Agreement at the time of purchase. Purchasing a maintenance contract will extend all the services you receive under warranty.

Maintenance program service guidelines and details