1. The Changing Face of Digital Identity
Dan Puterbaugh
Legal Lead, Adobe Sign
Adobe Systems

2. - Discuss identity as a fundamental issue in electronic transactions

3. Electronic Signatures
Any sound, symbol or process logically associated with a
record, adopted by a person with the intent to sign.
Electronic Signatures may include:
Various types of identification/ authentication
Evidence of Intent to Sign
Audit trail
Tamper-evident sealed document
- Electronic signatures are one way that we have attempted to solve the problem
- They are legal throughout the US, EU and nearly every industrialized nation
- Still some confusion as to terms so let’s clear that up.

4. Digital Signatures = Electronic Signatures + Digital Certificate
An electronic signature
that includes an encrypted
certificate further authenticating the identity of the signer, the
authenticity of the document, or both.
Digital Signatures may include:
A certificate authority issues a software code, or token, to signer for use as a signature
If signer uses the certificate, the identity of signer is supported
A secure, tamper-sealed document
Electronic Signature
- Even sophisticated digital (or advanced electronic) signatures have their limitations.
- The fundamentals are still that it is a natural person that is tied to a particular mark.
- While we have seen some interesting developments (the new EU electronic signature law includes the concept of signatures for legal persons – corporations, etc.; its worth asking what comes next.
- And does it need to be tied to this historical concept of signatures.
Digital Signature

5. - Because one of our barriers we face is that we are still replicating a type of identification rooted in another era.
- John Hancock’s signature might look very different today, but it is fundamentally rooted in how we thought of signatures and identity thousands of years ago.
- A king’s seal in wax possesses many of the same qualities that we value today in electronic signatures. (unique to the individual, under the individuals sole control, etc.)
- But they are also subject to many of the same problems – e.g. what happens if the signing individual loses control? What evidence is there of that?
So what’s next? There has been a lot of discussion around blockchain. But what is blockchain?
/s/ john hancock

6. Bitcoin To understand Blockchain, you need to understand Bitcoin.
Bitcoin is a cryptographic currency
Bitcoins are created in a process called "mining," which involves users attempting to figure out a complex mathematical solution related to the current number of Bitcoins.
Bitcoin is a currency that is not tied to any national bank
Bitcoin explainer

7. Blockchain
Blockchain is a bitcoin transaction ledger which is shared among nodes of a distributed network
Its utility is in being an immutable database stored securely and transparently yet not controlled by any single entity.
The digital ledger of transactions is shared among a distributed network of computers
Each copy of the ledger has the ability to correct every other copy of the ledger making it hard to hack since alteration of one ledger causes all unhacked ledgers to automatically identify and correct errors.
The initial uses for blockchain are currency and payment verification.
Blockchain explainer

8. Maximum Excitement/Maximum Confusion
Blockchain Today
Maximum Excitement/Maximum Confusion
Different Types: Public vs. Private vs. Moderated
Whitepapers pointing toward need for single standard
Hyperledger (one blockchain to rule them all)
MSFT delivering Bletchley on Azure
Some insist the time is now
Just as many insist that practical applications are months away
Blockchain explainer

9. Blockchain and Identity
A blockchain can contain any type of data
Identities can be stored on a public blockchain.
Would not be subject to a single breach failure. (No more credit card replacements)
Not dependent on or tied to a single government entity.
Autonomous, remote, secure authentication.
The Editable ID Wallet
The bartender doesn’t need to know your home address.
The retail cashier doesn’t need to know your weight.
The police don’t need to know you’re an organ donor.
Current Technologies: Take electronic signatures are a form of digital identity that works within software applications to execute transactions such as agreements and workflows.

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In part this is because we have essentially kept the identification methods that are rooted in another era. John Hancock’s signature might look very different today, but it is fundamentally rooted in how we thought of signatures and identity thousands of years ago. A king’s seal in wax possesses many of the same qualities that we value today in electronic signatures.

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Current Technologies: Take electronic signatures are a form of digital identity that works within software applications to execute transactions such as agreements and workflows.