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If you happened to open a PDF document signed with a qualified electronic signature and saw the following next to it yellow question mark, then you probably thought: "Is the signature invalid?".
Rest assured - most often there is no reason to panic. This symbol means that the program in which you opened the file,is unable to fully verify the signature, not that the signature is wrong or worthless.
In this article, we explain:
Adobe Reader relies on so-called trusted vendor lists to verify qualified signatures. If the program can't explicitly check the certificate or doesn't trust the issuer, it will display an "unverified status" message just in the form of a yellow question mark.
Most common causes:
This is a global list of vendors whose certificates Adobe recognizes as trustworthy. It gives qualified signatures from the US or Asia, for example, immediate green status in the program.
This in turn The official list of qualified trust service providers in the European Union, published by the European Commission. In Poland, it includes Certum and other certification centers.
Why do they need to be updated? Because the list of providers changes - new ones appear, others expire, certificates are renewed. Without regular updates, the program will not trust even fully valid and qualified signatures.
1 . Go to Menu
2 Select: Trust Manager
3 Check the option:
4 Check the option:
5. confirm by clicking "OK"
From then on, Adobe will use up-to-date trust sources and qualified signatures from Certum, for example, will display as green - correctly verified.
Adobe Reader only verifies signatures internal in PAdES format (i.e., in PDF files). But what if you are signing files XML, ZIP, DOCX or other data?
Here you need to use dedicated tools:
We wrote more about this in the article: How to verify an electronic signature? PAdES, XAdES and CAdES. Guide
- worth a look there if you work with different types of files on a daily basis.
On the hotline of podpisano.pl we often hear: "Why do I need these updates when everything was working?". Unfortunately, in the world of digital trust services "worked" does not mean "still works".. Certificates, trust lists and software are constantly changing, and keeping them up to date is the the foundation of digital signature security and reliability.
No updates:
A yellow question mark in the PDF next to a qualified signature is a signal of lack of full verification, not that the signature is invalid. Outdated trust lists in Adobe Reader are most often to blame. The solution? Enable and update AATL and EUTL, ensure internet access and regular software updates.
Remember, too, that Adobe isn't everything - other document formats require tools such as SmartSign or WebNotarius, which we've written about in separate articles on podpisano.pl.
Because in digital trust services, certainty and timeliness are key.
If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us
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].
