Recommendation

Date: Feb. 12, 2002
Link: http://www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core
Source Author or Organization: W3C, IETF

This specification provides a mechanism for applying digital signatures to XML documents and other Internet resources and encoding those signatures as XML. The proposed structure allows for both embedded and detached signatures. In addition to the basic signature type, methods of referencing multiple resources and key management and algorithm definitions are also discussed.

The goal behind using XML in digital signatures is to provide strong integrity for message authentication, and/or signer authentication services for data of any type (whether it is located within the XML the bears the digital signature or elsewhere).