Digital signature algorithm
Digital signature algorithm definition
The Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) is a cryptographic algorithm that is used to generate and verify digital signatures. It was developed in the United States by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. DSA allows recipients to authenticate the sender’s identity by verifying the signature using their public key. It also ensures integrity, as any modification to the message will render the signature invalid, allowing recipients to detect tampering.
DSA has been widely adopted and used in various applications, including secure email, digital certificates, and secure electronic transactions. However, newer algorithms are becoming more popular because of their shorter key lengths and computational efficiency.
See also: electronic signature
How does the DSA work?
- A private key and corresponding public key are generated. The private key is kept secret and used for signing, while the public key is available to others for signature verification.
- The private key holder performs a series of mathematical operations on the message using a specific set of parameters and creates a unique digital signature for it.
- The recipient uses the public key associated with the private key to verify the authenticity and integrity of the message. They can determine if the signature is valid or not by performing a series of calculations on the signature and the message.