Scrutineer

In many countries around the world, DigSig envelopes are being used to secure the contents of high-value documents preventing them from being tampered with or forged.

The Scrutineer mobile app allows you to decode and verify DigSigs. In this way the originality/authenticity can be determined online and offline.

Digital signatures are better than traditional handwritten signatures in many respects. Properly implemented DigSigs are virtually impossible to forge, and can also provide non-repudiation, meaning that an undeniable record is kept of who signed the document. The DigSig QR-code process also eliminates the need for original documents to be physically handled on a regular basis. The QR-code is transferred as an exact copy from one paper format to the next so that authenticity can be guaranteed without requiring access to the original. Constantly handling original documents exposes them to the risk of deterioration and possible destruction, whereas now, a copy of the document can be subject to the rigours of scanning, or emailing while keeping your original documents safe.

Scrutineer can decode and verify DigSigs offline. This offers a number of advantages. First of all because the app can work offline, Scrutineer never uploads any personalised information about the documents you've been handling. Secondly, the Scrutineer system does not rely on a central database to facilitate verification. No database = no hacking.

How does this work? Scrutineer uses DigSigs that are compliant with the ISO/IEC 20248 standard. These embedded QR-codes actually encode the important information on a document into the barcode itself. The Scrutineer app stores templates for each supported document on your device. When the app scans a DigSig the data is extracted from the barcode or NFC and applied to the appropriate template. The information you need is right in front of you, securely encoded in the barcode, which is part of why they are hard to forge. If someone tampers with the document then there will be a mismatch between what the app displays and what is shown on the physical document. If someone tries to tamper with the barcode the app will show you an error when you try to scan. By adding these QR-codes to your documents you create a more secure method for verifying authenticity.