A Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is a secure digital key issued by a Certifying Authority (CA) to verify the identity of individuals or organizations in online transactions. It acts like a handwritten signature but in electronic format, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of digital documents. A DSC uses public key infrastructure (PKI) to encrypt and authenticate data, making it legally valid under the Information Technology Act, 2000 in India.
DSCs are widely used for filing income tax returns, registering for GST, submitting e-tenders, signing documents on MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) portals, and securing emails. They help prevent unauthorized access or tampering by confirming the identity of the sender and the integrity of the content. With increasing digitization, DSCs have become essential tools for professionals and businesses to conduct secure, paperless, and legally compliant transactions across various government and private platforms.