Adobe Reader DC signature validity UNKNOWN

[ThoR294]

Hi Adobe,

We are struggling with getting Adobe Reader DC to recognize signature as trusted.  Every time we click on a signature, we get this message in Reader DC, and cannot further sign a document.

If we use Acrobat Pro 2017, we get the correct message:

We have tried various settings under EDIT -> PREFERENCES -> SIGNATURES -> VERIFICATION (More...) and unchecked "Require certificate revocation checking to succeed whenever possible during signature verification", also unchecked "When document has valid but untrusted signatures, prompt to review and trust signers".

Nothing seems to work, just odd how Acrobat Pro 2017 works and Adobe Reader DC does not.  This is happening to multiple users in our environment.

Thank you.

[AnandSri]

Hello ThoR294

We apologize for the inconvenience caused, please check for any pending updates of Reader from Help menu>Check for updates. You may also download the latest update of Reader manually through Overview — Acrobat and Adobe Reader Release Notes

You may also refer and try the troubleshooting steps from the following KB docs Digital Signature on Adobe Acrobat Reader DC 

Cannot validate digital signature - Reader 11.0.10 on Windows 8.1

Validating digital signatures, Adobe Acrobat

Hope this helps and let us know how it goes.

Regards,

Anand Sri.

[ThoR294]

Hi anandSri,

The fixes were already tried.  Also, every person with adobe reader has this issue, so we would need a way to fix it via GPO of some sort. 

Not sure why it is breaking with Reader and not Standard/Pro.

Thank you,

[Test Screen Name]

What sort of signature is it, in detail?

[ThoR294]

What do you mean?

[Test Screen Name]

There are many types of signature. This is clearly a digital signature but is it a signature certificate created in Adobe software, or issued by a certifying authority. Does it use any kind of hardware component? Who are the certifying authority? I'm no expert but those are the sorts of answers I'd expect you to give. Have you compared the signature properties at all?

[ThoR294]

It is created in Adobe Software. No hardware needed.  Not sure on the certifying authority, guess I can gather that.

What is bizarre is that the signatures validate fine in adobe pro/standard, but do not validate in reader. 

[Test Screen Name]

If it's created in Adobe software there is no certifying authority - it's a "digital ID" and self certified (no legal standing but useful for in house or informal use). You might find this useful Certificate-based signatures, Adobe Acrobat

Basically for each signature there is a private key (MUST be kept locked up) and a  a public certificate (must be shared). This page covers importing certificates to your trusted list. Validating digital signatures, Adobe Acrobat

[ThoR294]

I just checked my signature settings, and there is an "issuer" which is one of our cert servers, so I guess that is the certifying authority?  Sorry I am not an adobe pro by any means lol

[Test Screen Name]

You need to examine the signature in Acrobat in detail. Maybe it has a certicificate you need to import to Reader. But if it has a certifying authority maybe there is some other reason that the app can't reach the authority - could even be a firewall issue. Examine properties.

[ThoR294]

I was thinking it was a network thing, because I saw some blerb that it couldn't reach the auth server, but why would pro/standard accept it and reader not?  I think that is what pulled me away from a network issue.

[Test Screen Name]

If the firewall is on-host it might allow one app but not the other. That's my only thought at the moment.

[AmericanEOD]

It seems that since they replaced Pro with DC we are unable to do a lot of things. As this is a government computer system I cannot update or adjust anything that is listed as admin. I cannot go to the cloud and I see no reason to if I could. I used pro with ease for years but DC is obviously a cheaper program but it should still work properly. I put an e-signature  box on my form, saved it as per instructions, and pulled it up to sign it and it took more googling to figure out why I could not sign it, then my signature on my document is listed as invalid. The only explanation from adobe is to check for updates and check my fire-wall neither of which am I allowed to do. I know my signature is valid as I use it multiple times a day.

[Test Screen Name]

What do you mean by "replaced Pro with DC"? The current version of Acrobat Pro is Acrobat Pro DC. There is also Acrobat Reader DC, which is not cheaper - it is free. Please let us know the specific product you are using and the EXACT version (whether you can update it or not).

[AmericanEOD]

Pro DC. By replaced I mean that I was using Pro on Friday and when I came in on Monday it was replaced with Pro DC. Our IT guy said it was a push across our entire organization. I asked who the local SME (subject matter expert) was for DC and he shrugged. We, about 20 people in my building who used Pro before, are fighting with DC just to insert e-signature boxes so that others can e-sign the documents. As a tech writer I have to generate Plans and SOPs that must be signed/approved by 8 individuals up to the General Officer level. I cannot access my firewall nor can I update anything without approval from a higher organization. The only explanation I was given for moving from Pro to Pro DC was a lower cost. It really does not matter as the decision was made several states away by people that I do not know. I don't want adobe to upload the document to cloud, I don't want to add a signature block to the program, and I don't need adobe to send the document to anyone else. I want to apply a series of e-signature boxes and save it to my computer. I think the wording is hard to get past. In Pro your went to tools>edit>add new field etc. Now I think you go tools>prepare form>but it highlights my entire document and I end up with multiple spaces highlighted throughout the entire document. I only wanted to add a few places for e-signatures. I seem to be missing a step or a checked box but I am unsure.

[Test Screen Name]

Acrobat Pro DC isn't cheaper, it's just the new version. And it's still Pro. (You'll cause confusion and the same set of questions and answers if you keep saying you have DC and wanted Pro instead). But certainly a lot has changed. It is also the case that older versions of Acrobat Pro are out of support and company policies might forbid running them (known security holes etc.)

Anyway, there are some new things to do with signature that you don't want, but nothing has gone away so far as I know.

To edit an existing form, or make a form without Acrobat trying to guess where your form fields are, use Prepare Form. Change Form Field Detection (bottom of screen) to OFF. Do NOT check "this document requires signatures" because that creates a form that is sent to Adobe for signing.

[markm75g]

Wondering if a solution was every found for this, as i'm having the same issue in our organization.

Sure you can go through and do signature properties add to trust, for every single digital signature, but companies with many signatures this is a bit crazy.

I was hoping to find a GPO / AD method of having these in the system by default once the end users make their signatures.