Pular para conteúdo principal
Nenhum item encontrado.
Logo do DropboxSign
Por que usar o Dropbox Sign?
Expandir ou recolher o acordeão

O que você é possível fazer

Assinar documentos on‑line
Crie assinaturas eletrônicas
Escolha ou crie modelos
Preencher e assinar PDFs
Concluir contratos on-line
Gerenciamento de documentos
Explorar recursos
Ícone de flecha para direita

Casos de uso

Vendas e desenvolvimento de negócios
Recursos humanos
Startups
Tecnologia financeira
Imobiliária
Serviços sob demanda
Produtos
Expandir ou recolher o acordeão
ícone do Dropbox
Sign
Facilite o envio e a assinatura
ícone do Dropbox
Sign API
Integre a eSign em seus fluxos de trabalho
Ícone de Dropbox Fax
Fax
Envie faxes sem usar um aparelho de fax
Ícone de Integrações do Dropbox
Integrações
Nós vamos até você
Recursos
Expandir ou recolher o acordeão
Blog
Experiência em fluxo de trabalho e novidades sobre produtos
Histórias de clientes
Histórias do mundo real com resultados reais
Central de ajuda
Orientação detalhada para nossos produtos
Biblioteca de recursos
Relatórios, vídeos e folhetos de informações
Desenvolvedores
Preços
Expandir ou recolher o acordeão
Preços do Dropbox Sign
Encontre o plano mais adequado para você
Preços da Dropbox Sign API
Histórias do mundo real com resultados reais
Fale com vendas
Registrar‑se
Fale com vendas
Acessar conta
Expandir ou recolher o acordeão
Dropbox Sign
Dropbox Forms
Dropbox Fax
Conta de avaliação gratuita
Blog
/
Fundamentos da assinatura eletrônica

Entendendo o ECA 2000 e seu impacto em assinaturas eletrônicas internacionais

by 
Tina Eaton
May 13, 2020
5
minutos de leitura
"Understanding ECA 2000 and Its Impact on International eSignatures" header image
ícone de dica de ferramenta

Novo visual, mesmo produto incrível! O HelloSign agora é Dropbox Sign.

ícone fechar

From the ciphers carved into the tomb of Egyptian nobleman Khnumhotep II in 1900 BC to the Turing machine that’s credited with saving millions of lives after cracking German code and shortening WWII, there is no doubt that what David Kahn wrote in The Codebreakers is true: Wherever language and writing spring up, cryptography is sure to follow.

‍

While that’s interesting and all, you came here to learn about eSignatures, didn’t you?

‍

No, you’re not in the wrong place. And yes, you’re going to learn about eSignatures.

‍

But first, let’s talk about the foundation upon which eSignatures are built and some of the important legislation that has helped make them a cornerstone in global business.

First Things First: Understanding Cryptography

Cryptography may sound a little mysterious, but at its core, it’s simply the practice of transforming data to hide its content, establish its authenticity, prevent its repudiation, and protect it from unauthorized modification and use.

‍

In practice, that means a person can send a written message to someone that they may never have met over a public channel (such as the internet) without anyone else being able to access that message — all thanks to cryptography.

‍

If you’ve heard of “encryption” and “decryption,” these are processes that employ cryptography to keep data safe.

What Does Cryptography Have to Do With eSignatures?

Cryptography is just as important to modern society as it was to ancient Egyptians. That’s because, today, cryptographic processes are used to secure the communications (social media messaging, email, etc.) and the transactions (digital banking, automated online bill pay, etc.) that take place on the internet every second.

‍

Modern cryptography specifically implements sophisticated algorithms to encrypt data — and then decrypt it at the other end — so that negotiations between parties are protected from unwanted eyes and actions.

Illustration of a paper document, lock, envelope, key, and another paper document

‍

Sound familiar? That’s right, a quality eSignature platform implements cryptographic practices to keep the document that’s being signed confidential, to authenticate the identity of the person signing the document, and to keep the unique identifying factors associated with that electronic signature private.

Where Does ECA 2000 Come Into Play and What Did it Do for eSignatures?

The Electronic Communications Act of 2000 (commonly known as “ECA”) was enacted in the United Kingdom to implement government oversight in businesses where cryptographic services (including eSignature) are used to ensure safety and security.

‍

This ground-breaking legislation, often mentioned in tandem with the United States’ Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), is largely credited with propelling global business by recognizing, legitimizing, and protecting eSignatures and other cryptographic services.

‍

We probably don’t have to tell you that just 20 years out from the passing of the ECA and ESIGN act, eSignatures are revolutionizing the speed and security at which businesses work by finalizing documents like:

  • NDAs, timesheets, and employee onboarding paperwork
  • Sales contracts, invoices, and approve proposals
  • Leases and other rental and housing agreements
  • Tax documents, bank forms, and insurance paperwork
  • Permission slips, school forms, and release

Limitations of ECA 2000 in the UK

Just like in the U.S., electronic signatures in the United Kingdom may generally be considered court-admissible. However, in some cases, courts reserve the right to demand extra evidence to support eSignatures.

‍

eSignatures that are completed in the U.K. also have to “indicate an intention to authenticate.”

‍

While eSignatures don’t have to follow any certain format to meet this demand, the eIDAS (the 2016 Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services regulation that complement the ECA) gives these as acceptable eSignatures formats:

  • A typewritten name
  • A tick in a checkbox or a click on a button that indicates agreement
  • A digital scan of a handwritten signature
  • Data in a digital form with advanced security
  • A digital signature that’s created using Public Key Cryptography and Certificate Authority

These limitations are already, well, pretty limited; but the Law Commission quelled any further doubt in late 2019 when they reported that “ … in most cases, electronic signatures can be used as a viable alternative to handwritten ones.” Of course, before making any large business decision, users should check whether electronic signatures are right for their particular use case.

Do Your Due Diligence When Choosing a Secure eSignature Solution

When utilized in compliance with the ECA, the ESIGN act, and other local and federal regulations; eSignatures enable audit trails, convenience, and speed that benefits parties on both ends of the deal.

‍

However, we caution every business that wants to implement eSignatures into their workflow to make sure they’re partnering with a platform that meets these key security checkpoints:

‍

Encryption: Encryption protects information as it passes between the sender and a receiver. Look for a platform that uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption both during the signing process and once a signed document is stored away.

‍

Physical Security: While we’re on the topic of storage, it’s important we mention the physical side of storage and how that’s secured.

‍

Every digital service still requires physical servers where they store data. Make sure your eSignature provider prioritizes secure physical data storage — preferably in certified data centers that are equipped with security staff, video surveillance, multi-step authentication, and intrusion detection systems.

‍

Audit Trails: Audit trails ensure that every action such as an electronic document being opened, viewed, signed, or declined is tracked and time-stamped so modifications are easy to spot.

‍

If you ever run into a legal challenge that questions a document or eSignature, audit trails will help establish their validity — so make sure your eSignature solution isn’t skimping!

‍

In illustration of a document, a letter, an eye, a hand holding a pencil, and a certified document

‍

Secure Financial Processing: Often, when electronic signing is on the table, some kind of financial transaction is also taking place. Make sure that your eSignature provider is partnering with a payment processor that’s just a fanatical about security as they are.

‍

These are just the baseline security elements that we think every business should take into account when choosing an eSignature partner, so don’t forget to take into account any unique security needs your specific organization may have.

‍

Thinking about adding eSignature to your business’ workflow? Dropbox Sign offers an easy-to-use solution for companies to sign and manage electronic documents in a safe, simple and seamless way. Start your free trial with Dropbox Sign today.

Fique por dentro

Pronto! Verifique sua caixa de entrada.

Thank you!
Thank you for subscribing!

Lorem ipsum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Lorem ipsum
Ícone de flecha para direita
ícone fechar

Up next:

Pessoa trabalhando em um laptop em uma mesa. A tela mostra uma assinatura eletrônica sendo adicionada a um documento.
Fundamentos da assinatura eletrônica
8
minutos de leitura

SES, AES e QES: Explicação sobre tipos de assinaturas eletrônicas

Person signing a document on a tablet in a living room.
Fundamentos da assinatura eletrônica
5
minutos de leitura

How to validate a digital signature—and why it matters

Video

Integração de novos membros com o Dropbox Sign API

Produtos
Dropbox SignDropbox Sign APIDropbox FaxIntegrações
Por que o Dropbox Sign?
Assinaturas eletrônicasAssinar documentosAssinar e preencher PDFsContratos on-lineCrie assinaturas eletrônicasEditor de assinaturasAssine documentos do Word
Atendimento
Central de ajudaFale com vendasEntrar em contato com o atendimentoGerenciar cookiesIntrodução: Dropbox SignIntrodução: Dropbox Sign API
Recursos
BlogHistórias de clientesCentral de recursosGuia de legalidadeCentral de confiança
Parceiros
Parceiros estratégicosLocalizador de parceiros
Empresa
CarreirasTermosPrivacidade
ícone do Facebookícone do Youtube

Métodos de pagamento aceitos

Logo da MastercardLogo do VisaLogo da American ExpressLogo do Discover
Emblema de conformidade CPAEmblema de Conformidade com HIPAAEmblema da Sky High Enterprise ReadyEmblema do Certificado ISO 9001

As assinaturas eletrônicas do Dropbox Sign são juridicamente vinculativas nos Estados Unidos, União Europeia, Reino Unido e muitos outros países do mundo.
Para mais informações, consulte nossosTermos e Condições e nossa Política de Privacidade