Operation Manual

Table Of Contents
215
USING ACROBAT X STANDARD
Security
Last updated 10/11/2011
Digital IDs
About digital IDs
Digital IDs include a private key that you safeguard and a public key (certificate) that you share.
What is a digital ID?
A digital ID is like an electronic driver’s license or passport that proves your identity. A digital ID usually contains your
name and email address, the name of the organization that issued it, a serial number, and an expiration date. Digital
IDs are used for certificate security and digital signatures.
Digital IDs contain two keys: the public key locks, or encrypts data; the private key unlocks, or decrypts that data. When
you sign PDFs, you use the private key to apply your digital signature. The public key is in a certificate that you
distribute to others. For example, you can send the certificate to those who want to validate your signature or identity.
Store your digital ID in a safe place, because it contains your private key that others can use to decrypt your
information.
Why do I need one?
You don’t need a digital ID for most of the work you do in PDFs. For example, you don’t need a digital ID to create
PDFs, comment on them, and edit them. You need a digital ID to sign a document or encrypt PDFs through a
certificate.
How do I get one?
You can get a digital ID from a third-party provider, or you can create a self-signed digital ID.
Self-signed digital IDs Self-signed digital IDs can be adequate for personal use or small-to-medium businesses. Their
use should be limited to parties that have established mutual trust.
IDs from certificate authorities Most business transactions require a digital ID from a trusted third-party provider,
called a certificate authority. Because the certificate authority is responsible for verifying your identity to others, choose
one that is trusted by major companies doing business on the Internet. The Adobe website gives the names of Adobe
security partners that offer digital IDs and other security solutions. See Adobe Security Partner Community at
www.adobe.com/security/partners/index.html.