Hash And Sign Cryptographic Signature Scheme

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Introduction

The hash and sign signature scheme is a fundamental cryptographic technique that is widely used in variety of applications some of which includes, secure email communication, electronic contracts, and blockchain transactions, this is a signature scheme that relies and depends on strength of the cryptographic hash function and algorithm for it to be effective and efficient.

How the hash and sign signature scheme operates is that it combines the processes of hashing and digital signing together so as to ensure that message integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation is full maintained in the blockchain network

In this post of mine I am going to be explaining and discussing some of the significant operating techniques of the hash and sign signature scheme, further explaining how they contribute and help to facilitate a secure and efficient digital signatures because it is only by understanding the significant operating techniques can the developers implement them fully in the blockchain network.

• Hashing The Message

The first method of operation or first operating technique in the hash and sign signature scheme is basically known as hashing the message, this operating technique basically involves using a cryptographic hash function to convert the original message into a fixed size hash value, which is sometimes known as a digest.

The hash function is basically designed to be an irreversible process, you can say that it is a one way function, this basically means that once the message has being hash it is impossible computationally to let's say de-hash it and return back to format it was before it was hashed, a good cryptographic hash function can be identified by certain features and properties like; collision resistance and pre-image resistance etc.

These properties of collision resistance and pre-image resistance basically ensures that no two different messages during the process of hashing can produce the same hash value and as a result preventing attackers from forging signatures and compromising the blockchain network, making the signing process more efficient.

• Generation Of Signature

**Generation of signature, this is the operating technique or step, that comes immediately after the message hashing operating technique, it process basically begins or starts when once the message has been hashed, then with the use of the users private key, a cryptographic and digital signature is generated the private a corresponding or one of the keys or a cryptographic key pair, the other key is known as the public key.

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The private key is the key pair responsible for creating and generating signatures and as such only the user or signer that has access to this key and he is to secure it because if compromised there would be drastic consequences, in the hash and sign signature scheme, the process of signing a digital signature algorithm is applied.

Additionally, any of the digital signature in which the user or signer applies it can be the RSA or the ECDSA both can be used to generate the signature which is gotten by combining the private key with the already hashed message, this process basically involves the use of a mathematical operations that combine the hash value with the private key, producing a unique signature.

• Message Signing

Basically, after generating and creating the unique signature, the next thing to do is to use the signature to authenticate and sign the message typically, the process simply involves attaching the unique signature to the original message, it then becomes combined to the package which is then sent out, a signed message shows proof of the authenticity of a message which can be verified by the receiver of the message.

After this, is where the public key comes in, you know the private key is the cryptographic key pair used for signing then the public key is the other pair of the cryptographic key used for verifying the authenticity of the signature and the message, the public key can be shared and given to the recipient of the message so he or she can validate the message he recieves.

Additionally, unlike the message hashing process which is a one way function, the signing process on the other hand does not even combine the message to the signature it allows for them to exist separately and as a result ensuring that both components that is the signature and the message, can be easily accessed and processed during verification.

• Signature Verification

Signature verification is simply the operating technique that takes action when the receiver or the recipient receives the signed message, they then now use the signer's public key to verify the signature, the signature verification process involves using a corresponding digital algorithm to check the validity and authenticity of the signature seeing if it matches the hash value of the original message.

Additionally, in this signature verification process the receiver or recipient of the message or package first applies the same hash function used by the signer to the original message to generate a new hash value, then he or she uses the public key to verify that the signature matches this newly generated hash value, hence if it matches, confirms the message authenticity and that the message was indeed signed by the original user, signer and owner of the private.

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Conclusion

To conclude, the hash and sign signature scheme is one of the powerful cryptographic signature scheme which operates with multiple significant techniques, thank you to all of you who made the effort to read and go through this post which I have made, and I hope that you have been able to learn something new in regards to the operating techniques of the hash and sign cryptographic signature scheme.