digital signitures on someone elses device?

[joshs64112497]

I am trying to set up my office so that we can be paperless. Im working on converting our paper forms to digital so that intake documents can be filled out and signed on an ipad.

The question I have is how do I set it up so that a new client can sign a document on my office ipad but it will still have the certificates and everything for the highest level of compliance. one of the documents is a HIPPA authorization and I know they have stringent requirements so that a simple e-signature wouldnt pass muster but a traceable digital signature would.

How do I go about being able to have a client digitally sign a document with a certificate on a device that does not belong to him?

[ls_rbls]

You don't. 

Just have the user create a digital certificate that is unique to him or her, and enforce signature verification in the PDF document.

[joshs64112497]

Can they create a unique digital certificate in Acrobat for ipad? and if so can you create multiple unique certificates on the same device?

And is enforcing verification a property I would add to the field on the front end or is it something that is done post-signature?

[ls_rbls]

I have to correct what i meant by digital certificate.

Using digital certificates is not supported in the mobile app to electronically sign a document.

I think only the military has a version of AndroidOS, and a DoD authorized common access card reader that is able to attach the Android mobile device's microUSB port (or the charger).

I personally haven't seen this released yet for the general public since it involves a lot of extra layers of encryption and digital certificate verification at the time of applying the signature using a CAC Card.

But what I meant initially,  is that yes, you can electronically sign any document with the Acrobat mobile app using Adobe Fill & Sign. It allows the user to draw a signature and apply it as a signature field.

Now, because you have mentioned that HIPPA laws are involved in your office document preparation workflow you need to enforce a secure signature and review workflow between your office and the users that will be signing such documents.

To do this securely, you need to use the Adobe Sign app.

See this links on how it applies with iPad devices:

https://answers.acrobatusers.com/Is-it-possible-to-use-a-certificate-to-sign-a-pdf-on-an-iPad-q20908... 

Also take a look here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/capture-and-sync-your-signature.html 

[ls_rbls]

And yes you can have your users save their electronic signatures in the iPad device that they will be signing those forms.

But, again, that simply defeats the process of enforcing security and integrity standards among your coworkers.

For that purpose alone, the Adobe Sign has an option to collect the signature in person. This will comply with the echo-friendly business practices you're trying to achieve.

The collect signature in person option simply  allows the intended i dividual to sign that form and not  by another person without the patients knowledge or consent, nor the appropriate clearance or authorization. 

The things to keep in mind here:

• Can the form be transmitted via email securily without violating  HIPPA laws, confidentiality agreements and other types of disclosures 
• Is your organization currently HIPPA compliant?
• Are the users in your organization trained and qualified periodically on HIPPA as to process these type of documents responsibly?
• If yes to the questions above, what extra layers of security is your organization willing to implement and invest on to protect your users from potential data breaching?
• Have your organization discussed with their users how information will be handled using digital signatures?
• Are user OK with the idea that another person, unknown to them, will be signig documents on their behalf without their explicit consent?
• Adding to the last bullet,  is this practice permitted legally at all to begin with?

In any case, to alleviate the stresses related to compliance, read more about the Adobe Sign app.

That seems to be the safest way to go here,  since i. Order to collect a signature, it involves a verification mechanism by the users registerring an email that will be uniquely associated with to their digital signature, and saved via document cloud.

That  goes hand in hand together with encryption. 

Protect that form with encyption.

The Adobe Acrobat mobile app does supports the highest level of document encryption.

You may have a little homework to do but nothing that is so impossible you cannot achieve with the right tools.

[margueritek]

Adobe Sign can sign with digital signatures on an ipad:

https://helpx.adobe.com/sign/using/adobe-sign-ios.html#DigSig

The certificate must reside in a remote "cloud" server, and can't be a local smart card (e.g. a CAC card). The service and certificate to use is selected at signing time, so multiple users can share the same device.

This capability is not available for the stand-alone Acrobat on an iOS device.

[ls_rbls]

Thank you so much for clarifying this!!!

🙂

I've been struggling too with a similar form of my own that I haven't been able be able to make it available for mobile users.