System and method for high trust cloud digital signing

Abstract

A computer system receives specification of (i) a document that requires a high trust digital signature and (ii) a first signer to apply the high trust digital signature to the document. The computer system sends, to a first device associated with the first signer, a signature request for the document. The computer system sends, to the first device, the document that requires the high trust digital signature. The computer system obtains, from the first device, one or more signer verification elements. The signer verification elements include one or more of: a signer-specific password, a one-time signer authentication code, and a reason for signing the document, the reason being specified by the first signer. The computer system validates the one or more signer verification elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors:
 receiving specification of (i) a document that requires a high trust digital signature and (ii) a first signer to apply the high trust digital signature to the document; 
 sending, to a first device associated with the first signer, a signature request for the document; 
 sending, to the first device, the document that requires the high trust digital signature; 
 obtaining, from the first device, one or more signer verification elements, including one or more of:
 a signer-specific password; 
 a one-time signer authentication code; 
 a reason for signing the document, the reason being specified by the first signer; and 
 
 validating the one or more signer verification elements. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending, concurrently with the signature request, the one-time signer authentication code.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 sending the one-time signer authentication code to a second device associated with the first signer, wherein the second device is distinct from the first device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one-time signer authentication code is a randomly generated code associated only with the first signer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specification of the first signer includes at least one of: a name, a position, or a role. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining the high trust digital signature from the first signer; and   storing a copy of the document with the high trust digital signature embedded.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising storing the copy of the document with at least one of: a time stamped record of the first signer or an IP address of the first signer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the copy of the document is stored as an encrypted, non-alterable log. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending instructions, to the first device, to embed the high trust digital signature at a specific location of the document.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising after validating the one or more signer verification elements:
 retrieving, from the computer system, the high trust digital signature; and   embedding the high trust digital signature into the document.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more signer verification elements further comprise biometric information of the first signer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the document was altered after the high trust digital signature was obtained; and   in response to the determination that the document was altered:
 marking the document as altered; and 
 invalidating the high trust digital signature on the altered document. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the high trust digital signature is a first high trust digital signature; and   the method further comprises:
 specifying a second signer to apply a second high trust digital signature to the document; 
 specifying a location for the second high trust digital signature in the document; and 
 sending a signature request to the second signer. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 specifying an order for applying the first high trust digital signature and the second high trust digital signature to the document. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the order specifies application of the first high trust digital signature before the second high trust digital signature; and   the sending the signature request to the second signer is in response to a determination that the first signer has signed the document.   
     
     
         16 . A computer system, comprising:
 one or more processors;   memory; and   one or more programs stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 receiving specification of (i) a document that requires a high trust digital signature and (ii) a first signer to apply the high trust digital signature to the document; 
 sending, to a first device associated with the first signer, a signature request for the document; 
 sending, to the first device, the document that requires the high trust digital signature; 
 obtaining, from the first device, one or more signer verification elements, including one or more of:
 a signer-specific password; 
 a one-time signer authentication code; 
 a reason for signing the document, the reason being specified by the first signer; and 
 
 validating the one or more signer verification elements. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
 sending, concurrently with the signature request, the one-time signer authentication code.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 16 , the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
 obtaining the high trust digital signature from the first signer; and   storing a copy of the document with the high trust digital signature embedded.   
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 16 , the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:
 after validating the one or more signer verification elements:
 retrieving, from the computer system, the high trust digital signature; and 
 embedding the high trust digital signature into the document. 
   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer system having one or more processors and memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
 receiving specification of (i) a document that requires a high trust digital signature and (ii) a first signer to apply the high trust digital signature to the document;   sending, to a first device associated with the first signer, a signature request for the document;   sending, to the first device, the document that requires the high trust digital signature;   obtaining, from the first device, one or more signer verification elements, including one or more of:
 a signer-specific password; 
 a one-time signer authentication code; 
 a reason for signing the document, the reason being specified by the first signer; and 
   validating the one or more signer verification elements.