.NET Security and Cryptography

XML Signatures

XML signatures define a powerful new technology that is used for digitally signing data that is represented in an XML format. XML has become such an important standard that it is now used in practically every conceivable programming scenario where the exchange of data takes place between applications. In many of these scenarios where data must be exchanged there may also be requirements for ensuring data integrity, authentication, and/or nonrepudiation.

Recall from previous chapters that in public key encryption, the original data is encrypted with the public key and decrypted with the private key. In digital signatures, only a message digest of the original data is encrypted with the private key and decrypted with the public key. ...