Strong authentication, passport verification, and light signature in EpicSign

In EpicSign, you can choose the authentication method that suits the contract's risk level and the signer's location. In Finland, strong authentication with bank IDs and mobile certificates is used. Internationally, passport verification and light signature with email confirmation are available. The service offers 16-language support, and the signature process works in a browser without complex onboarding.

What does this mean in practice?

The same service is suitable for both domestic and international agreements. In Finland, strong authentication provides the highest current level of security. When a signer does not have a Finnish identification method, passport verification and light signature are available. Passport verification and identification document verification, as well as light signature, work internationally worldwide, including in cross-border situations.

Signature levels in EpicSign

The EU's eIDAS regulations divide electronic signatures into three levels: electronic signature (SES), advanced electronic signature (AES), and qualified electronic signature (QES). The higher the level, the stronger the connection to the signer and the more robust the technical evidence.

1. Strong authentication

Strong authentication refers to bank IDs and mobile certificates. According to DVV, a signature made with bank IDs or a mobile certificate is an advanced electronic signature (AES). This makes strong authentication EpicSign's current strongest publicly described signature method in Finland.

2. Passport verification

Passport verification is an NFC or non-NFC-based international authentication that works with most passports and identification documents. A signature made with passport verification in EpicSign is an AES-level electronic signature. Passport verification serves as an authentication method to identify and authenticate the signer, and the signature is linked to the document so that subsequent changes are detected.

3. Light signature with email confirmation

A light signature is a handwritten or typed signature with email confirmation. This effectively falls under the SES level: the signer expresses their approval electronically, but it is not an AES/QES level. According to sources from the EU Commission and DVV, a normal electronic signature can be, for example, a name typed in an email, but its evidential value is weaker than an advanced or qualified signature.

Evidentiary value in EpicSign

The evidential weight of a document is not solely derived from the visible signature. What can be demonstrated afterwards is crucial. EpicSign records an audit trail, locks the signed document as immutable, provides a public status check with a unique identifier, and supports an optional eIDAS seal. According to EU and DVV sources, this information is key when assessing the technical validity, integrity, and legal standing of a signature. A PDF signed with EpicSign displays the document verification link and a separate SIGNATURES page at the end. It shows the document identifier, signer names and identifiers, timestamps, the authentication method used, and any handwritten signature.

What is each method suitable for?

Strong authentication is suitable for situations where the signer is in Finland and their identity needs to be verified as strongly as possible. Typical uses include employment contracts, mandates, procurement agreements, and other important business contracts.\n\nPassport identification is suitable for international agreements when the signer does not have a Finnish strong authentication method, but a stronger identity verification than email confirmation is needed.\n\nLight signature with email confirmation is suitable for lower-risk approvals and agreements where speed, ease of use, and the ability to sign from anywhere are most important. According to EU sources, a standard electronic signature can also be used as valid evidence, although its evidentiary value is lower than that of AES or QES.

Getting started with EpicSign

Getting started is quick. Register, upload a document, add signers, and send an invitation. The signer does not need their own user account; they receive an email link, authenticate using the selected method, and sign in their browser. Supported formats include .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .pdf, .jpg, and .png, among others. Files other than PDFs are automatically converted before signing.

Summary

The simple rule is this: use strong authentication when the signer is in Finland and you need strong identity verification. Use passport identification when the signer is outside Finland and you want verification stronger than email confirmation. Use a light signature when fluency and low friction are most important. In all cases, the evidentiary value is enhanced by the audit log, document locking, status checking, and, if necessary, an eIDAS seal.

Sources

This article is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice.