Electronic Signature: From Simple Signing to Legal Certification
Introduction#
Electronic signatures are now part of daily business life, from contracts and quotes to legal and banking documents.
But not all signatures are created equal: there’s a big difference between a scanned signature, a digital annotation, and a certified electronic signature.
Let’s take a concrete example: a service provider receives a contract signed by a client.
The document is locked and includes an electronic certificate.
When opened in a free editor such as Stirling PDF, the signature appears to be missing.
In reality, these tools often rewrite the file when saving, which invalidates the original certification.
Let’s explore the different levels of signing, their legal value, and the tools that make it easy and secure.
The different types of signatures#
| Type | Description | Legal value |
|---|---|---|
| ✍️ Scanned handwritten signature | An image of your signature inserted into a PDF. | Low (symbolic proof, easily challenged). |
| 🖋️ Digital signature via PDF tool | A simple “digital” signature using tools like Stirling PDF, Foxit, or PDF-XChange. | Medium (proves intent but not identity). |
| 🔒 Advanced electronic signature | Based on a verified certificate (Yousign, Adobe Sign, DocuSign). | High, compliant with eIDAS regulation. |
| 🧾 Qualified electronic signature | Issued by a certified European provider, bound to a personal identity. | Very high, legally equivalent to a handwritten signature. |
Free tools for basic needs#
If your goal is simply to “sign” without legal constraints:
- Stirling PDF, PDF-XChange Editor, Foxit Reader - local use, no upload.
- LibreOffice Draw - insert a scanned image or draw a signature.
- Preview (macOS) or Windows PDF Reader - simple built-in signature options.
⚠️ Be careful: some editors rewrite the document when saving and thus invalidate any existing certificates.
Certified and paid solutions#
For documents that require legal recognition, use a certified platform compliant with eIDAS.
Recommended providers:
- Yousign (France) - simple, GDPR-compliant, ideal for SMEs.
- Universign - widely used by banks and public institutions.
- DocuSign - international standard, but stores data outside the EU.
- Adobe Acrobat Sign - excellent integration with Microsoft 365.
These platforms ensure:
- legal validity (timestamp, digital certificate, traceability);
- document integrity (no modification possible);
- secure storage and audit logs.
Security and confidentiality#
Free tools can be useful, but keep in mind that they don’t always guarantee document confidentiality.
Before using any online service, consider how it’s funded and where your data is stored.
Avoid uploading sensitive business documents to random websites.
Our recommendations:
- Use local tools or certified European providers only.
- Always check for integrity verification (Adobe Reader shows a green or blue checkmark).
- Keep the original certified version of each document.
In summary#
- An image-based signature → convenient, not legally binding.
- A certified electronic signature → secure, verifiable, and legally recognized.
- Choose the tool that fits your context:
- internal approvals → Stirling PDF or LibreOffice
- client contracts → Yousign / Adobe Sign
- legal documents → qualified signature (personal certificate).
Solution IT approach: secure and compliant digital signing#
At Solution IT, we help companies implement the right electronic signature solution including audit, deployment of Yousign or Universign, user training, and local support.
Secure your documents, simplify your workflows, and ensure full compliance with eIDAS and GDPR.