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How to verify an electronic signature? PAdES, XAdES and CAdES. Guide

Wondering how to properly verify electronic signatures? Here are practical tips for verifying signatures in Certum's SmartSign and WebNotarius applications
How to verify an electronic signature? PAdES, XAdES and CAdES. Guide

Can PAdES, XAdES and CAdES signature formats be verified and how?

Electronic documents are becoming an everyday occurrence, and with them come various digital signature formats: PAdES, XAdES and CAdES. Today we will explain how to check these signatures using Asseco's applications: proCertum SmartSign (desktop) and SimplySign, as well as the WebNotarius service from Certum.

Verification of signatures in practice

Each of these formats requires appropriate tools for verification. Let's see what it looks like with specific applications available from Asseco.

proCertum SmartSign

The proCertum SmartSign application is a comprehensive desktop solution from Asseco for handling electronic signatures. It supports full verification of files signed in formats:

  • CAdES (.p7m) - SmartSign allows you to both sign and verify documents in this format. In practice, you will easily open the .p7m file, verify the validity of the signature and extract the original document from the cryptographic envelope.
  • XAdES (.xml) - also supported, SmartSign allows verification of signatures embedded directly in XML files and those with external signatures.
  • PAdES (.pdf) - Verification of PDF files electronically signed in PAdES format is also done without problems. SmartSign reads the signature, displays its validity and signature details.

proCertum CardManager

Important: proCertum CardManager is not a signature verification application! It is used to manage cryptographic cards and qualified certificates.

With it you can activate, import or export certificates, but you will not verify digital signatures in any of the formats (CAdES, XAdES, PAdES).

WebNotarius Certum

If you prefer online solutions, WebNotarius from Certum is a convenient tool that can be accessed through a web browser:

  • Supports verification of signatures in all major formats: CAdES, XAdES and PAdES.
  • A simple interface allows you to quickly check the validity of the signature and download the original document.

How to verify a signature in WebNotarius step by step

  1. Open the WebNotarius Certum website and log in to your account
  2. Select "Signature Verification"
  3. Drag or point to the document for verification (.p7m, .xml or .pdf).
  4. Wait for automatic verification of the signature - you will see information about the validity of the signature and the details of the certificate.
  5. After successful verification, you can download the original document to your computer.

How to verify a signature step by step (proCertum SmartSign)?

Open proCertum SmartSign

  • In the proCertum SmartSign application, select the "verify" option on the top bar
  • then point to a digitally signed document (.p7m, .xml or .pdf).

     

Verification

  • SmartSign will automatically verify the signature, show the validity status and details of the certificate.

     

Downloading the original

  • After successful verification, you can save the original document to your computer.

Does it verify the same in every application?

Not every electronic signature verification application works exactly the same way, although the general purpose and basic steps are similar - checking whether the signature is valid, who made it and when.

But differences emerge in the way the results work and are presented. For example:

  • proCertum SmartSign (installed desktop application) - gives lots of technical details. You can check, for example, the certificate, the time of signing, whether the document has been altered, and even extract the original document Of the signature (which is important in the case of the CAdES format).

     

  • WebNotarius Certum - is a web application, it works in a browser, without installation. It is simpler and more accessible, but shows less technical details.

Summary - which application should you choose?

✅ proCertum SmartSign - A comprehensive desktop solution for any format: PAdES, XAdES and CAdES.

✅ WebNotarius Certum - A quick and easy online tool to verify any signature format.

❌ proCertum CardManager - does not verify documents, it is used to manage certificates and cryptographic cards.

 

All tools can check the signature, but some are more technically advanced, and others are more friendly and quick to use. The choice depends on your needs - whether you just want to confirm the validity of the signature or analyze the document in detail. For customers of podpisano.pl , we especially recommend proCertum SmartSign as a basic tool for everyday work with electronic signatures.

SimplySign and Certum Mini qualified signatures

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us

+48 22 417 05 55

We will answer your questions, find a date that suits you and an advisor in Gdansk, Gdynia, Krakow, Warsaw or Wroclaw.

You can also write an email from us [email protected]. 

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