Comparison between signatures via Reader / Pro

[Rachael27577112n9yo]

I need a security comparison of the following:

Scenario 1 - Using Adobe Reader I add a signature to a document.  The document does not have any fields and is not an electronic form.

Scenario 2 - Someone sends me an electronic form created using Adobe Pro. I click the signature field and sign it.

Does the signature in scenario one have the same digital information as the signature in scenario two?  What are the advantages of scenario 2 type signature over someone just adding their signature using Reader?

And finally, if someone adds their signature to a pdf document using Reader, does the file automatically lock down so that it can't be altered like it does with an elctronic form?

Background:

We have many documents that only require a signature and a date.  We need to know what the drawbacks are of not creating an electronic form with a digital signature field and just letting the recipient use Adobe reader to sign. 

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

You have to be careful when you say "signature".  The signatures in the "Self-Sign" feature in Acrobat Pro/Reader and in Adobe Sign forms is really just an image of a written signature, called a "wet signature".  It's a picture and nothing else. The PDF "signature field", when used in Acrobat adds a digital certificate to the PDF. The certificate ensures that any changes to the PDF are detected by invalidating the certificate validation. If the certificate was issued by a trusted source, then it also validates the individual/organization that added the certificate. 

Wet signatures and Certificates are vastly different things.  However, it doesn't matter if your using Acrobat Pro or Reader, they work exactly the same on both.   

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

You have to be careful when you say "signature".  The signatures in the "Self-Sign" feature in Acrobat Pro/Reader and in Adobe Sign forms is really just an image of a written signature, called a "wet signature".  It's a picture and nothing else. The PDF "signature field", when used in Acrobat adds a digital certificate to the PDF. The certificate ensures that any changes to the PDF are detected by invalidating the certificate validation. If the certificate was issued by a trusted source, then it also validates the individual/organization that added the certificate. 

Wet signatures and Certificates are vastly different things.  However, it doesn't matter if your using Acrobat Pro or Reader, they work exactly the same on both.   

[Rachael27577112n9yo]

I almost forgot.  One follow up question - I don't have Reader installed on my machine (just pro) so I can't test this.  Can someone using Reader attach a signature field for someone else to sign or is that just a Pro feature?

[try67]

No, you can't add a signature field in Reader, unless you use a special script that 99.9% of the people won't have or know how to create.

[Rachael27577112n9yo · Accepted solution]

Thank you!!!  I suspected as much.