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As more organisations shift towards digital-first operations, electronic signatures have become the default for executing contracts quickly and conveniently. But a consequence of this is that in some cases speed can come at the expense of security. Even the most straightforward digital agreement can unravel under scrutiny without a robust verification process in place.
To combat this, get the best practices for e-signature verification in this guide and ensure your contracts are secure, compliant and legally defensible.
Verification - a necessity or a nice to have?
An electronic signature is only as strong as the process that underpins it. If your contract is ever challenged, you’ll need confidence in the signing process. This includes proof that the signatory’s identity was verified, evidence that the content of the contract has not been altered post-signing and/or a guarantee that the signing process met all relevant legal standards.
Regulations such as eIDAS in the UK and EU and guidance like HM Land Registry’s PG82 have raised the bar for what a secure and compliant signing process should look like. Verification is no longer “nice to have”, it’s essential to protect your customers’ identity and your organisation’s reputation.
Best practices for verifying e-signatures
To ensure your contracts are secure and enforceable, it’s essential to go beyond basic digital signing. A truly robust e-signature process is built on multiple layers of verification, each reinforcing the authenticity and integrity of the agreement. Here’s how to do it right.
Use signing workflows that capture intent and consent
An enforceable contract is about ensuring that the signatory fully understood what they were signing rather than just a digital mark. The signature process should always include clear presentation of the contract, prompts for review, and a step where the signatory confirms their agreement. Capturing this digitally, including events and user confirmations, builds a reliable record of intent and consent.
Ensure the signature is bound to a document
One of the biggest risks in e-signing is that a document might be altered after it’s been signed. To prevent this, the signature must be cryptographically bound to the exact version of the document that was reviewed and accepted. This can be achieved through cryptography and document-sealing technology that invalidate the signature if any edits are made post-signing.
Maintain an end-to-end audit trail
Verification depends on traceability. Your e-signature platform should automatically generate an audit trail that captures every interaction from document upload to final signature. This trail should include key areas where even if the signature itself is challenged, the surrounding evidence should stand up to scrutiny.
- PII (Personally Identifiable Information) as names, IDs, and contact details used during the signing process
- Signatory actions and method of access
- IP addresses and device info
- Any authentication or validation steps taken
Use secure, centralised signing platforms
Avoid sending documents for signing over email or using consumer-grade tools that can’t guarantee document security. Instead, use a dedicated e-signature platform that manages the full lifecycle of the contract from presentation and consent through to signature, witnessing (if needed) and evidence storage. This centralised approach simplifies compliance and reduces risk.
Avoid fragmented tools
One of the biggest threats to contract security is fragmentation. When ID checks happen in one place, document prep in another, and signatures in a third, it’s nearly impossible to ensure consistency, let alone defend it. A unified platform improves efficiency and guarantees that every step happens in a controlled, coherent environment. That’s the difference between a digital signature and a digitally secure contract.
Verification by design with an end-to-end platform
Secure contracts are about creating a transparent, traceable process from start to finish. That means controlling how documents are presented, ensuring they can’t be altered, capturing clear audit trails, and avoiding the risks of fragmented tools or manual oversight. The most effective way to achieve this is by embedding verification into every stage of the signing journey.
At Bonafidee, we believe that contract confidence comes from designing a system that protects every signature, every time. Our platform was built to meet the realities of regulated industries, with tools that combine consent capture, document security, audit automation and regulatory alignment into a single experience.
No matter how many contracts you are managing, Bonafidee ensures that every agreement is as secure and defensible as it is easy to sign. To find out more, download our guide below.
