Digital Signatures
ECDSA, RSA-PSS, Ed25519 and other signature algorithms
Digital signatures are the digital equivalent of physical signatures. They are used to prove that a document or message was truly created by a specific person or institution and has not been altered. Digital signatures work using asymmetric encryption - the sender signs with a private key, and the receiver verifies with a public key. This way, the integrity of a document and the identity of the sender can be mathematically proven.
Use Cases
- Software signing
- Email security
- Digital documents
- Blockchain transactions
- Cryptocurrency transfers
- Legal documents
- Identity verification
- Authentication
- Data integrity
- Non-repudiation
- Asymmetric encryption
- Mathematical proof
| Algorithm | Security | Speed | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECDSA-P256 | Very High | Fast | Example: BlockchainModern applicationsHigh-performance modern systems |
| ECDSA-P384 | Very High | Medium | High-security applicationsModern systemsNon-performance-critical, high-security use casesSlower than P-256 |
| Ed25519 | Very High | Very Fast | Fast, secure defaultHigh-performance applicationsModern security protocols |
| Ed448 | Very High | Fast | High-security applicationsModern systemsSlower than Ed25519 but higher security |
| RSA-PSS | Very High | Slow | Systems requiring wide compatibilityClassic applications |
| RSA-PKCS#1 v1.5 | Not recommended for new designs - should only be used for compatibility with legacy systems. RSA-PSS should be preferred. | Slow | Legacy, compatibility onlyCompatibility with legacy systemsNot recommended for new designs |
* Comparisons are relative to reference/hardware acceleration on 64-bit CPU
ECDSA (Elliptic Curve)
Modern and efficient signature algorithms using elliptic curve cryptography. Suitable for high-performance modern systems.
EdDSA (Edwards-curve)
High-performance and secure modern signature algorithm. Fast, secure default choice.
RSA
Classic and widely used asymmetric encryption-based signature algorithm. RSA-PSS is modern, RSA-PKCS#1 v1.5 is legacy (compatibility only).
- • FIPS PUB 186-4
- • RFC 8032
- • RFC 8017
- • ISO/IEC 14888-3