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                        <h1>Checking the validity of a signature</h1>
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                        <p>
                           By
default, signatures are validated when you open a PDF. An icon appears
in the signature field on the document page to indicate the signature
status. Further details about the status appear in the Signatures
panel and in the Signature Properties dialog box. </p>

                        <p>Third-party
signature handlers may provide alternate methods of validating signatures.
Check the documentation included with your third-party digital ID.</p>

                        <div class="important"><span class="importanttitle">Important:  </span>To ensure that signatures are validated when
you open a PDF and that all verification details appear with the
signature, set your verification preferences in advance (see <a href="WS58a04a822e3e50102bd615109794195ff-7d34.html">Set signature verification preferences</a>).</div>

                        <ul><li>
                              <p>The
digital signature icon <img src="images/redtag.png"></img> along
with the name of the field in the Signatures panel indicates the
presence of an unsigned signature field. </p>

                           </li>
<li>
                              <p>The blue ribbon icon <img src="images/A_BlueSeal_Sm_N.png"></img> indicates
that the PDF is certified—that is, it contains a valid certifying
signature. (Certifying signatures can be visible or invisible.) </p>

                           </li>
<li>
                              <p>The check mark icon <img src="images/A_ValidSignature_Sm_N.png"></img> indicates
that the signature is valid. </p>

                           </li>
<li>
                              <p>The red <em>x</em> icon <img src="images/A_ValidityCross_Sm_N.png"></img> indicates
that the signature is invalid.</p>

                           </li>
<li>
                              <p>The caution triangle icon <img src="images/A_ValidityCheck2_Sm_N.png"></img> indicates
that the document was modified after the signature was added. </p>

                           </li>
<li>
                              <p>The question mark icon <img src="images/A_VaildityQuestion_Sm_N.png"></img> indicates
that the signature couldn’t be validated because the signer’s certificate
isn’t in your list of trusted identities. </p>

                           </li>
</ul>

                        <p>If the
signature status is unknown or unverified, or if the document was
modified after it was signed, validate the signature manually to
determine the problem’s cause and possible solution. If the signature
status is invalid (indicated by the red <em>x</em> icon), contact
the signer about the problem. </p>

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